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Monday, February 12, 2024 THE PEOPLE’S PAPER £1 thesun.co.uk

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SA VE
UP TO
£66
CROWDS CHEER BRAVE CHARLES
l1st outing since By ADELA WHITTINGHAM

KING Charles buoyed

well-wishers yesterday

cancer diagnosis
with his first public
appearance since re-
vealing he has cancer.
He waved and looked

lWills, Kate and

relaxed as he and Queen
Camilla walked to church
on the Sandringham
estate in Norfolk.
Charles has also been
boosted by the arrival of

kids stay for hols

Prince William, Kate and
their children for half-term.

KING’S
One onlooker said: “He
seemed in good spirits.”
Full Story — Page 4 and 5

WAVE
Relaxed. . .
Charles and
Camilla greet
crowds

OF HOPE
2 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
ALLIES STUNNED BY RANT
TRUMP: I’LL MAKE
PUTIN BLITZ NATO
Attack . . . Donald Trump
Biden in
warning
to Israel
By ANDY ROBINSON
JOE Biden has warned
Israeli PM Benjamin Net-
anyahu against a ground
invasion of Gazan city
Rafah without a proper
plan to protect civilians.
The White House said
the US President also
used the 45-minute call
to demand refugees there
urgently get access to
more humanitarian aid.
It is understood to be
his most forceful lan-
guage yet on the possible
operation after slamming
the military response as
over the top last week.
Much of yesterday’s
discussion was about a
potential ceasefire and
plans are being made
that could see remaining
Hamas hostages freed.
VICAR ‘DANGER’
BISHOPS have been urged
to draw up rules that pro-
tect vicars from “aggressive”
parishioners.
The Rev Sara Batts-Neale,
of the Chelmsford Diocese,
said Parochial Church
Council meetings could
become “psychologically
unsafe” places.
Papers published ahead of
the church’s General Synod
By NICK PARKER, Foreign Editor
DONALD Trump would
“encourage” Russia to
attack any Western
nations that fail to pay
Nato defence bills.
The ex-US president
bragged he once slapped
down the leader of a “big
country” who asked if
America would step in if
invaded by Russia.
Trump, running for presi-
DRAGON
ROARS IN
124 ARRIVE IN
revealed calls for a PCC
3 SMALL BOATS
code of conduct.
Her message to the Arch-
bishops’ Council requested a
disciplinary process be put
in place that would remove
bullies from the PCC.
The proposal will be
debated when the Church of
England’s General Synod
meets in London later
this month.
Threat over unpaid bills
dent again, told supporters:
“I said, ‘You didn’t pay?
You’re delinquent? No I protecting 30 Nato nations
would not protect you’.
“In fact I would encourage
them to do whatever they
want. You gotta pay.”
A White House spokesman
branded Saturday’s comments
at a rally in South Carolina
“appalling and unhinged”
and a threat to global sec-
A TOTAL of 124 migrants crossed
the English Channel in three small
boats on Saturday, the Home
Office has confirmed.
It means 1,506 migrants have
arrived so far this year, down from
2,072 at the same point in 2023
— but up from 1,339 in 2022.
PLACE the numbers 1-9 in the
spaces so that the number in
each circle is equal to the sum
of the four surrounding spaces.
Solution on Puzzles page.
Stoltenberg said: “Any sug-
gestion that allies will not
defend each other under-
mines all of our security.
“We expect that regardless
urity. Trump, 77, has claimed of who wins the presidential
election, the US will remain
too much US cash is spent
a strong and committed ally.”
and accused some of failing Trump’s outburst came 24
to spend enough on defence. hours after Russian drones
He has also alarmed allies blasted an oil depot in
by claiming to have a work- Kharkiv, killing seven.
Meanwhile, US warplanes
ing relationship with Russia
leader Vladimir Putin while blasted Houthi rebels in the
members of his party have latest mission to protect
blocked vital weapons cash shipping in the Red Sea.
for Ukraine. Nato chief Jens n.parker1@the-sun.co.uk
Joyful . . . child in parade
By THOMAS GODFREY
A COLOURFUL dragon
roars through London’s
streets yesterday as tens
of thousands of people
celebrated Chinese New
Year across the UK.
Performers wore red
and gold costumes in
the parade to mark the
Year of the Dragon.
London organiser Peter
Yick Kuen Lam said:
“For us, Chinese New
Year is like Christmas.”
NHS JOB PLIGHT
THE ratio of NHS roles in were non-UK nationals, PA
England filled by non-UK news agency analysis found.
nationals has jumped to one This is up from 13 per
in five of the workforce. cent in September 2016.
Three in ten nurses and Danny Mortimer, NHS
more than a third of doctors Employers’ chief executive,
are now non-UK nationals. said the figures reflected
Of the 1,282,623 full-time how the NHS depends on
hospital and community its international workforce.
health service staff whose But he warned overseas
nationality was known in recruitment could not fill
September 2023, 20.4 per cent vacancies forever.
SUJIKO
We are always
WE PAY after good stories
and we pay big
FOR YOUR money for them
every day. Call
STORIES
our news desk
and we’ll call
5 you straight back
12 15 Call 020 7782 4100
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PUZZLES: PAGE 38 or email help@thesun.co.uk
New law . . . on rentals
Landlord
evictions
ban vow
By NOA HOFFMAN
THE Government yester-
day vowed to ban no-fault
evictions in time for the
next general election.
Ministers pledged to
outlaw hated Section 21
notices in the 2019 Tory
manifesto. But a Bill has
still not been passed.
The new vow comes as
tenants evicted through
no fault of their own shot
up by a third last year.
Landlords dished out
30,230 Section 21 notices
— the most since 2016.
But Secretary of State
for Levelling Up and
Housing Michael Gove
said: “We’ve outlawed it
and we’ll put the money
into the courts to ensure
they can enforce it.”
Renters Reform Coali-
tion’s Tom Darling said:
“We’ll hold the Govern-
ment to this.” Shadow
Housing Minister Matt-
hew Pennycook said Lab-
our will have to “fix it”.
CORRECTIONS &
CLARIFICATIONS
THE Sun aims to have the
highest standards and we
abide by the rules in the
Editors’ Code of Practice.
The Sun is a member of
the Independent Press
Standards Organisation. To
make a complaint to us go
to www.thesun.co.uk/ipso, email
editorialcomplaints@the-sun.co.uk,
or write to Editorial Complaints,
The Sun, 1 London Bridge
Street, London SE1 9GF.
New blitz
on fraud
A MAJOR new campaign
to crackdown on fraud-
sters will be launched by
the Home Office today.
Billboards, TV channels
and radio stations will be
plastered with adverts.
The Home Office will
also launch a website on
how to protect yourself
from scammers.
Fraud accounts for 40
per cent of crimes in
England and Wales.
Home Secretary James
Cleverly said: “This cam-
paign is a powerful tool
to add to our arsenal.”
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS
GENESIS guitarist STEVE
HACKETT, 74, left, actors
ANNETTE CROSBIE, 90,
JOSH BROLIN, 56, and
CHRISTINA RICCI, 44,
right, writer and ex-PM’s
wife NORMA MAJOR, 82,
boxing’s NASEEM
HAMED, 50, former
Olympic javelin thrower
STEVE BACKLEY, 55,
and filmmaker DARREN
ARONOFSKY, 55.
 Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 3

NEWS FLUSH
MAUR FAIR LADY
Look
what you
made me
doo-doo
TAYLOR’S JET BOG
BUSTS MID-FLIGHT
EXCLUSIVE
by JACK HARDWICK

TAYLOR Swift was

down in the dumps
after a mid-air issue
with the toilet on
her private jet.
The loo’s flush broke
as the Look What You
Made Me Do singer
flew from Japan to
Las Vegas for last
night’s Super Bowl.
Her pilot logged
an urgent request
for repairs upon
their arrival in
the States.
A message to
Picture: GILES BENSIMON

ground staff
said they
needed to fix the
Bombardier Global
6000 jet’s “weak toilet
flush” and a seat that was
“not moving electrically”.
Taylor made the long-
haul trip to Las Vegas to
By HOWELL DAVIES see American footballer
FORMER Love Island star boyfriend Travis Kelce, 34,
Maura Higgins covers herself play for the Kansas City
Chiefs against the San
in glory for the front of a Francisco 49ers in last
magazine. night’s Super Bowl.
Maura, 33, wore a red Taylor, 34, performed in
PVC bodysuit in the shoot Tokyo on her Eras tour on
for Maxim in the US. Saturday before flying to
She also appears in a the States.
revealing black leather Taylor and Kelce are
trenchcoat. Maura, on expected to spend Valen-
the ITV2 show in 2019, tine’s Day together before
she heads to Melbourne
made a name for herself where her tour resumes
in the US as social media on Friday.
ambassador for Love jack.hardwick@ Shaking it off
Island Games. thesun.co.uk . . . superstar
Taylor Swift

40 YRS OF FA-FA-FASHION WEEK PAGES

14 & 15
4 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
SHAPPS: WOKE
ARMY RISKS UK
GRANT Shapps is ordering
a review into “extremist”
diversity and inclusion ini-
tiatives that could put
national security at risk.
The Defence Secretary has
hit out at Army proposals to
relax clearance vetting for
overseas recruits as part of a
diversity drive.
He told woke military chiefs to
concentrate on remaining a “lethal
By NOA HOFFMAN
fighting force” instead of lowering
action would be beneficial because
it would boost ethnic diversity in
high military ranks.
security standards.
A document leaked to The
Sunday Telegraph, called The
British Army’s Race Action
Plan, has sparked outrage.
It suggests military bosses
should “challenge security
requirements” in roles with
“uncontrolled access to secret
assets”. It states that such
Shapps . . . security review
BOOST FOR
Mr Shapps said he was unaware
of the plan and vowed to
conduct a review of diver-
sity policies across defence.
He said: “This extremist
culture has crept in over
many years. It’s time for a
proper shake-up designed
to refocus the military on
its core mission.”
noa.hoffman
@the sun.co.uk
Holiday . . . William and family, seen at Sandringham at Christmas
THE Prince and Princess of Wales and their three
children are spending a morale-boosting half-term with
King Charles following his shock cancer diagnosis.
William, 41, Kate, 42, and ten-year-old George, Charlotte, eight,
and five-year-old Louis arrived at Sandringham on Friday.
Charles has been resting at the Norfolk estate since his diagnosis was
made public last week. It is also said to be William and Kate’s favourite
place to spend half-term holidays.
News that the Waleses and their children had arrived at Sandringham
came as 75-year-old King Charles made his first public appearance yester-
day since revealing his cancer
diagnosis last week. He and Queen By ADELA WHITTINGHAM
Camilla strolled to a private service
at Sandringham’s Church of St surgery last month. The first major
Mary Magdalene. royal set-piece engagement — the
His Majesty looked healthy and Commonwealth Day service at
relaxed, waved to well-wishers and Westminster Abbey — is coming up
greeted Rev Canon Dr Paul Wil- on March 11.
liams with a firm handshake. Last year, Charles broke with tra-
Supportive Camilla, 76, also gave dition by reading out his message in
a brief wave as she walked into person. Camilla is now set to
church with Charles. appear in person as the most senior
The King’s appearance was a royal, but it is still to be deter-
relief for royal fans after news of mined if Charles will record his
his cancer diagnosis reverberated message or if Prince William might
around the globe last week. read it out loud.
Among those hoping to catch a William is to return to his usual
glimpse of His Majesty was Rachael engagements next week, although
Westley, 53, from Wroxham, Norfolk. his attendance at Sunday’s Bafta
She said: “It’s the first time I’ve Film Awards is currently in doubt.
ever seen them. It was lovely. It’s so In a business-as-usual approach,
nice that they can retreat here, as Buckingham Palace has confirmed
it’s a lovely area. the King will continue to carry out
“He didn’t seem unwell — he paperwork and receive the Govern-
looked absolutely fine to me.” ment’s red boxes, as well as hold
Chloe Hewitt, 31, from Dereham, private meetings.
said: “I wanted to come down But a source said he is also likely
here and show some to spend his time at
support after the can- Sandringham walking
cer diagnosis was and water painting,
announced. as well as listening
“I thought it would to Leonard Cohen
be nice with every- records. They added:
thing the family has “Boredom will be one
been going through at of the hardest things
the moment. for him.”
“Charles seemed well The King is
and in good spirits. expected to convalesce
“I’ve seen him a few at Windsor Castle,
times and shaken his Highgrove and San-
hand, and Camilla is dringham over the
lovely too. Hopefully coming weeks and
how he was today is a months. He will have
good sign and he gets further cancer treat-
better soon.” ment as an out-patient
Around an hour in London.
after arriving at It comes after last
church, Charles left Shock . . . King’s cancer news Monday’s announce-
accompanied by the ment that cancer had
Queen, with the pair again giving a been discovered while Charles was
brief wave to the crowd before in hospital being treated for an
walking towards home. enlarged prostate. The type of can-
The King attends church every cer has not been revealed.
Sunday with Camilla and has On Saturday, the King thanked
previously described himself as a the public for the outpouring of
“committed Anglican”. support following the news. He said:
Charles’s eldest son’s visit this “I would like to express my most
week will give them all some much- heartfelt thanks for the many mes-
needed family time. But it will also sages of support and good wishes I
give Charles and William some time have received in recent days.
to discuss what might need to be “As all those who have been
done while His Majesty receives affected by cancer will know, such
out-patient treatment. kind thoughts are the greatest com-
William is said to be still “pro- fort and encouragement.
cessing the news of his father “It is equally heartening to hear
having cancer”. how sharing my own diagnosis has
A source said: “At times like this, helped promote public understand-
it’s a reminder that as well as being ing and shine a light on the work of
the future head of state, he is also a all those organisations which sup-
human being.” port cancer patients and their fam-
The King has postponed all his ilies across the UK and wider world.
duties while he receives treatment “My lifelong admiration for their
and, as well as Camilla, William tireless care and dedication is all
will be expected to step into the the greater as a result of my own
breach — despite also having to look personal experience.”
after Kate after she had abdominal adela.whittingham@the-sun.co.uk
 Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 5

CHARLES IN CANCER FIGHT

Pictures: LOUIS WOOD/MARK CUTHBERT

I wanted to
show some
support after
the cancer
diagnosis

The
WELLWISHER
CHLOE HEWITT Grateful . . . Charles and Camilla wave at crowds and greet Dr Williams

Non-stop
monarch
will not be
a quitter

gang’s
By
ARTHUR
EDWARDS
Royal Photographer

THE King put his best foot

forward yesterday — and
showed he’s full of cheer.
He waved to the crowd
and thanked them for their
wishes. And he means that.
He’s a driven man. As
King, he could easily take
it easy. But not him.
Charles is non-stop.
He will not quit. When he
had a serious chest infection
he carried on working. And
it’s the same now.
When we’re told we have
cancer, nothing else matters

all heir
in our lives. All we want to
hear is good news. And
we’re hopeful the King will
hear good news.
We prayed for him at
church yesterday and I’m
sure the nation wants him
to pull through.
His announcement of an
op for an enlarged prostate
was the first time I’d ever
heard details of what was
wrong with a royal.
He’s going to get the finest
treatment possible and
Camilla will be by his side
— probably making sure he
doesn’t work too hard.
We were told he was
going to church — and
showing that he’s coping
well with his setback.
He made a statement on
Saturday thanking everyone
for their kind wishes.
He received thousands of
these messages because —
although he’s not long into

WILLS, KATE & KIDS ON

his reign — he’s impressed
so many.
His speeches have been
sensational since becoming
King. And a record number
have watched them.

HALF-TERM WITH KING

He said in one that we
have to put ourselves in
our neighbour’s shoes and
be kind to people.
Now we must all be kind
to him.
KEIR STANDS BY OCT 7
6 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
SLUR LAB CANDIDATE SIR Keir Starmer has
sparked fury by standing
by a candidate who
blamed Israel for the
October 7 massacre.
Labour’s leader was rapped
for appeasing anti-Semitism.
Sir Keir refused to withdraw
support for Labour’s Rochdale
Apology . . . Labour’s Mr Ali
By NOA HOFFMAN
by-election candidate, Azhar Ali,
after he was caught in a secret
Labour Party recording claiming
Israel “allowed” terrorists to
infiltrate its borders.
In audio obtained by the Mail
on Sunday, he was heard saying:
“They deliberately took the
security off, they allowed . . . that
massacre that gives them the
green light to do whatever they
2GM
bloody want.” October 7 saw
1,200 Israelis murdered and 200
kidnapped and held hostage.
Mr Ali’s “anti-Semitic” words
sparked outrage and, after being
called out, the wannabe MP
issued an “unreserved” apology.
It is now too late for him to be
replaced as Labour’s Rochdale
candidate, but Sir Keir refused to
suspend him from the party.
The Campaign Against
Antisemitism said: “Labour is,
BILLIE’S
OFF DAY
EXCLUSIVE by LUKE CHAFER
ACTRESS Billie Piper is seen for the first
time since The Sun on Sunday revealed her
split from rocker partner Johnny Lloyd.
The ex-Doctor Who star wore a hoodie
and dark glasses yesterday morning as she
loaded a bike into her Audi car.
Billie, 41, emerged alone from her Lon-
don home without singer Johnny, 38, after
we revealed they’d called it quits.
incredibly, still backing
candidacy. This is distressingly
familiar to days Keir Starmer
promised were behind us.”
Housing Secretary Michael Gove
added: “Keir Starmer now has a
responsibility to get this guy out
of the Labour Party.” Labour’s
National Campaign Coordinator
Pat McFadden called Mr Ali’s
comments “completely wrong”.
noa.hoffman@thesun.co.uk
The Sun Says — Page Ten
his
Fugitive . . . Ezedi
2 bodies
in river. . .
not Ezedi
By DANIEL HAMMOND
THE bodies of two men
were pulled from the
River Thames by police —
but neither was chemical
fugitive Abdul Ezedi.
While officers work to
identify them, the hunt
continues for Ezedi, 35.
He is accused of dous-
ing his ex-partner, 31, and
her two daughters, eight
and three, with a corro-
sive alkaline substance in
Clapham, South London,
on January 31.
Specialist diving teams
continue to scour the
river. Police boats were
spotted on Saturday
night, and an RNLI life-
boat joined in the hunt.
Met detectives said
Afghan refugee Ezedi
could have jumped into
the Thames from Chelsea
Bridge, West London.
If so, his body may not
surface because of the
speed of the current.
Det Supt Rick Sewart
said death was “the most
probable outcome” if he
had gone into the water.
12hr A&E
waits hell
AN eye-watering 1.5 mil-
lion patients waited 12
hours or more in A&E
last year, figures show.
Every day 4,200 people
in England waited
lengths five times above
the official NHS target.
January was the worst
month, with a record
178,000 patients waiting
half a day to be treated.
Blackpool Teaching
Hospital was the worst in
the country, with over
one in four facing a 12
hour wait.
Liberal Democrat
health spokesperson
Daisy Cooper said: “Every
day thousands of patients
are being left scared and
in pain in overcrowded
A&Es, waiting for 12
hours or more to receive
the care they need.”
Dutch PM
& wife die
FORMER Dutch prime
minister Dries van Agt
and his wife have died
by euthanasia — hand in
hand.
Van Agt and his wife
Eugenie, both 93, said
they “couldn’t live without
each other”.
They have now been
buried together, following
their deaths last Monday.
The couple, married for
65 years, were very ill.
The Rights Forum, a
charity founded by van
Agt, announced the dou-
ble death — a growing
trend in the Netherlands.
It said: “Eugenie was the
support and anchor.”
WHISKY BUSINESS
A 1961 bottle of Macal-
lan single malt whisky is
expected to sell for
£25,000 at auction in
Massachusetts, USA.

STAR’S NIGHT AT THE ZOO
Horn free . . . jolly
Holly watches a rhino
Birthday girl’s £1.6k
to sleep next to lions
HOLLY
WILLOBEAST
lions
Mane event . . . fizz in lodge watching
HAPPY Holly Willoughby
enjoys a zoo-perb birthday
to remember — communing
with lions, cheetahs and
tigers at a top safari park.
Holly, now 43, got to meet a
rhino and even feed a giraffe
from a bucket during a 4x4
tour to see the wildlife.
She stayed the night in a luxury
lodge with giant picture windows
Cake . . . which lets visitors gaze at the
lions up close.
last night Holly was treated to the lavish
1, 2, 3...BIG STEPS
EXCLUSIVE by ELLIE HENMAN
£1,650-a-night stay by TV executive
husband Dan Baldwin.
The couple spent Saturday — her
birthday — at the 600-acre Port
Lympne Safari Park near Hythe in
Kent with their three children
The break came months after an
alleged kidnap plot saw her with-
draw from public life.
An onlooker said: “Holly looked
like she was having a ball on her
birthday and couldn’t stop smiling.
“It has been a tough few months
for her so to get away and do
something so special with her
Meal in a bucket . . . Holly feeds park
family for her big day would have
been absolutely perfect.
“She was in one of Port Lympne’s
two lodges which allows visitors to
stay near the lions.
“It’s an incredible experience and
is very luxurious.”
The onlooker added: “The family
got to spend the day being driven
around the park before settling
down for the night.”
The resort claims its rooms, which
feature log fires, help guests “feel
like a film star on safari-vacation”.
The master bedrooms have a
spiral staircase that leads up to a
mezzanine room with extra beds.
Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 7
giraffe
Outside there is a terrace with a
fire pit and a private garden while
the bathroom also features a huge
window which looks straight out on
to the lions’ habitat.
Guests also have access to a golf
buggy they can take for a spin
around the estate.
Other celebrity visitors have
included Cheryl Tweedy, Rio Ferdi-
nand and Boris Johnson.
Last night Holly returned to host
Dancing On Ice — marking her big
day backstage by blowing out
candles on a cake. She was joined
on screen by pal Stephen Mulhern.
ellie.henman@the-sun.co.uk
PAGES
20 & 21
 THE HOME FRONT
8 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024 2GM

Marathon
ace dies
LONDON Marathon win-
ner Kelvin Kiptum died
in a car crash last night.
He and coach Gervais
Hakizimana were killed

Gove: I beg daily for cash to fix housing crisis

in Kenya, East Africa.
Kenyan Kiptum, 24, set
the world record for the
fastest marathon, 2hrs
35secs, in Chicago. He
also smashed the London
Marathon record last
April in 2hrs 1min 25sec. MICHAEL Gove yesterday By NOA HOFFMAN gets it. So Jeremy Hunt is some- week Mr Gove will announce
plans to boost building on
one who absolutely appreciates
Kenya’s ex-PM Raila
Odinga posted on X:
said he begs Jeremy have been criticised for the importance of supporting the brownfield sites.
“Our nation grieves the Hunt every day for more crushing the goal of home next generation.” Developers will be permitted to
convert empty office blocks,
Mr Gove insisted the Tories are
profound loss of a hero.” money to fix Britain’s ownership among youngsters. not to blame for sky-high house department stores and commer-
Housing Secretary Mr Gove cial buildings through a stream-
broken housing market.
FEELING CHIPPER And he vowed to keep
told the BBC: “I’m doing every-
thing I can, short of laying siege
prices. He instead blamed a
“growing population”, squeezed
lined planning process.
But critics have slammed
Spaghetti bolognese, pleading with the Chancellor to Jeremy Hunt’s home. mortgages and not enough new relaxed house-building targets,
fish and chips and lasa- ahead of next month’s “Every day I send him a note builds for the crisis. which would mean fewer being
gne are among the top Spring Budget, as ministers or a message emphasising the Ministers insist that one million built during the housing crisis.
comfort foods for Brits, a importance of doing more to new homes will have been built noa.hoffman@thesun.co.uk
poll has revealed. Messages . . . Michael Gove unlock housing supply. And he by the next Parliament. And this The Sun Says — Page Ten

Birthday boy . . . Batty

Lost lad
Alex: I’m
dating
By ANDY ROBINSON
HOME-again teen Alex
Batty has revealed he is
now dating after going
missing in Europe for six
years with his fugitive
mum and grandad.
Alex, 17, has enjoyed
several dates with a
potential love interest
since returning to Old-
ham, Greater Manchester,
in December.
He said: “I’m talking to
someone at the moment.
I want to get a decent
job so that when I get a
wife and kids, they won’t
have to worry about
money like I did.
“It feels really good to
be back. I’ve had a lot of
new experiences.
“Pretty much everything
is a new experience.”
Alex, who turns 18
tomorrow, plans to cele-
brate his birthday with a
pub crawl and is consid-

MEG’S A
ering getting a tattoo.
He vanished while on a
trip to Spain with mum,
Melanie, and grandad,
David, in 2017.

Murder &
fraud rap
PIN-UP
A MAN has been
charged with murder and
fraud over the death of a
former councillor.
Wallis Webb, 65, was
found dead on Tuesday
morning at a property in
Birmingham, police said.
Cops said that Mr
Webb’s bank card was
used after his death.
Sakander Hussain, 25,
from the city, has been
charged with murder and
fraud by false representa- By HOWELL DAVIES
tion. He appeared before
Birmingham magistrates’ ACTRESS Megan Fox nails a hot look at a
court and was remanded. party for the Super Bowl.
A 51-year-old man, who The 37-year-old wore the spiked leather
was arrested on suspicion basque in Las Vegas on Saturday evening
of fraud, has been bailed. ahead of the NFL final last night.
Transformers star Megan was joined by
LEADING LIGHTS her rapper partner, 33-year-old Machine
Gun Kelly — one year after sparking
Four gas lamps fitted
in Covent Garden, Lon- break-up rumours.
don, in 1910 to mark new
king George V have got
Grade II listed status.

Warning . . . Carey
Carey in
Rwanda
blast for
bishops
By NOA HOFFMAN
FORMER Archbishop of
Canterbury Lord Carey
has slammed colleagues
for trying to kill off
Rwanda flights and legis-
lation on small boats.
The peer accused fel-
low bishops of being
“blind to what migration
is doing to our country”.
He urged the 26 in the
Lords, including current
Archbishop of Canterbury
Justin Welby, to stop try-
ing to water down pro-
posed new legislation.
Lord Carey said bish-
ops who have voiced
concerns have good
“Christian” intentions but
are in denial over the
consequences of mass
movement into Britain.
He said: “The elites are
well-protected, but Brit-
ain’s poorest have a dif-
ferent experience.
“An experiment in mass
immigration has been
foisted upon them without
their consent, changing
their lives and their com-
munities.”
The Sun Says — Page Ten
Scene . . . of accident
Driver, 19,
dead in
accident
at a hotel
By LUKE CHAFER
A DRIVER aged 19 died
yesterday when his car
skidded off the road and
crashed on grass in front
of a hotel.
No other vehicles were
in the 2.30am smash.
Police are seeking any
witnesses who saw the
Suzuki Swift motor head
towards the Travel Plaza
Hotel in Desborough,
Northants.
A spokesman for
Northamptonshire Police
said: “For reasons yet
unknown it left the road
before coming to a stop
on the grassed area.
“The driver — a
19-year-old man — was
sadly pronounced dead at
the scene.
“Officers would like to
hear from anyone who
may have witnessed the
incident or who may
have dashcam footage of
the collision or the
moments leading to it.”
An inquest on the
unnamed teenager will
be opened and adjourned.
lADDICTS FAIL MEDICALS
lLUNGS & LEG NERVES HIT
FOOTIE
CLUBS
TEST
ACES
FOR
HIPPY
CRACK
PREM STAR DRUG RIDE
A PREMIER League rising star has
been fined after he was caught inhal-
ing laughing gas while driving.
Man City defender Jamal Baptiste,
20, remained stationary at traffic
lights in his VW Polo for about a min-
ute after they turned green.
He was seen inhaling the balloons
with a pal in Dagenham, East London,
on July 7 last year.
He pleaded guilty to driving without
Baptiste . . . £1,000 fine and points
due care and attention and was given
Our story . .
on player’s
trip to rehab
EXCLUSIVE by AMIR RAZAVI
and RICHARD MORIARTY
six penalty points and a £1,000 fine
by magistrates at Bromley, South
London. He also had to pay a £400
victim surcharge plus costs of £110.
It comes a week after The Sun
revealed that a Premier League star
was receiving rehab treatment for
addiction to nitrous oxide.
Baptiste is a former West Ham
Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 9
EXCLUSIVE by RICHARD MORIARTY
TOP football clubs have
started testing players for
nitrous oxide use, with a
growing number addicted to
the “laughing gas” drug.
Teams are noticing huge dif-
ferences in the expected lung
capacity of players and how
they can actually perform.
One player set to sign for a
second-tier Championship club saw
the deal collapse after doctors carry-
ing out his medical discovered signs
that his nervous system was ravaged
by his use of the gas.
The revelations come days after
The Sun revealed that a Premier
League star was in rehab for addic-
tion to nitrous oxide, also known as
“hippy crack”.
His usage came to light when a car
he was travelling in was stopped by
police who found dozens of canisters.
His family alerted the club and a
medical intervention was made.
Dozens of Premier League stars,
including England internationals, are
known to be regular users of the
drug — with many wrongly believing
that it is harmless.
But long-term use can reduce the
body’s levels of Vitamin B12 — essen-
tial for nerve function.
It was criminalised last November
in a government crackdown and is
now a Class C drug, in the
same category as cannabis.
One Prem player spent
£10,000 on laughing gas canis-
ters for a recent birthday
party. And now clubs are
testing for nitrous oxide abuse
when carrying out medicals.
A source said: “One player
was massively addicted. He
was with a club and during
a fitness test they said the
nerves in his legs were f****d.
“He admitted he was doing
loads of balloons and they
got rid of him.
“His agent got him into
another club for a trial and
they were keen to sign him.
But when they carried out
his medical they basically said
‘You’re an addict’ and ended their
interest. “He’s now without a club.”
Other players have been questioned
by medical teams after their legs
twitched uncontrollably while they
were being treated for other injuries.
Another source said: “It’s an abso-
lutely massive problem, which clubs
are only just starting to understand
and get a grip on.
“Players think they can get away
with it because it doesn’t show up in
drug tests and until recently it wasn’t
illegal, but some are addicts and it’s
having a hugely negative effect on
their health and their careers.”
In 2022 doctors warned they were
seeing increased numbers of patients
with neurological injuries caused by
laughing gas including spinal cord
and nerve damage.
Sport science professor and former
FA performance head John Brewer
warned of the impact that it could
have on players.
He said of the drug: “If you’re a
top-level footballer trying to make
skilful movements and pass a ball
effectively, you don’t want your
nerves to be damaged in any way
because you need that peripheral
ability to sense movements.”
richard.moriarty@news.co.uk
centre-back once billed as the next
Rio Ferdinand by the club’s former
striker Carlton Cole. Last May the
club reportedly offered Baptiste a new
deal but slashed his wages due to
issues off the pitch.
He moved to Man City on a free
transfer in September. He is described
on the club website as “an athletic
and technically gifted defender who
featured twice for West Ham while
representing England at youth level.”
10 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
Sun
THE
SAYS
Labour liar
IT is appalling that the lying extremist
Azhar Ali remains a Labour member, let
alone its Rochdale by-election candidate.
He is precisely the sort of crank con-
spiracy theorist Keir Starmer should
expel — not install as his newest MP.
And the fact that a senior party figure
campaigned alongside him yesterday
AFTER the scandal erupted casts
further grave doubt on the claim
Labour has completely “changed” since
its anti-Semitic disgrace under Corbyn.
Ali was caught telling a party meeting
Israel LET Hamas slaughter 1,200 Jews
as an excuse to attack Gaza. He criti-
cised Starmer personally. And local
members presumably agree, since they
later picked him as their candidate.
Ali’s apology to the Jewish community
is not worth the paper on which it was
written for him. It even tried to “gas-
light” Britain (to use the Left’s buzz-
word) by having HIM claim Labour had
changed. He is proof of the opposite.
A strong leader would sack Azhar and
temporarily sacrifice a safe seat Labour
is bound to win at the General Election.
If not, voters everywhere will know that
the party doesn’t still merely tolerate
Israel-hating bigots, it embraces them.
Housing doom
WHEN Theresa May almost gifted Corbyn
power in 2017 The Sun spelled out why.
It wasn’t just her inept campaigning. It
was a young generation priced out of
the housing market, facing crippling
rents on stagnant, low wages and
turning in desperation to Marxist myths.
We warned they might desert capital-
ism, let alone the Tories, if it went on.
So we are taken aback to hear Michael
Gove still issuing the same warning.
In the seven years since that election
the Tories have abandoned mandatory
housebuilding targets, backed noisy
NIMBYs in marginal seats and allowed
net annual migration to soar to 745,000.
If polls are right, they are desperately
short of time now to change course.
Why didn’t they listen to us in the
first place?
Thank the Lord
PRAISE be that one top churchman at
least has seen the light over the folly of
uncontrolled immigration.
Ex-Archbishop of Canterbury Lord
Carey is aghast that bishops in the
Lords aim to block any curbs on it.
He says they are blind “to what
migration is doing to our culture and
infrastructure” — including fuelling a
“severe lack of housing and services”.
“The elites are well-protected,” he
says, “but Britain’s poorest have a
different experience. An experiment in
mass immigration has been foisted
upon them without their consent.”
Amen to that. Will the Left listen? No.
What matters above all to them is that
THEY feel generous and welcoming to all-
comers, regardless of any cost to others.
Kavanagh
Extinction nigh, PM
..but it’s not over yet
SOMETIMES when watching
true-life disaster movies
like Titanic or Gallipoli, it’s
hard to suppress an absurd
hope it might somehow
turn out differently.
All the victims need to
do is wake up, seize the
moment and steer away from
catastrophe.
Rather, we see them repeat-
ing the same mistakes and
expecting things to turn out
differently — a definition of
insanity.
Which sums up the Tories as
they face apparent extinction.
Supporters shout at the
screen, urging them to change
tactics, put up their fists and
punch Labour where it hurts.
Instead we watch Rishi
Sunak under “friendly fire”
from his own side while
Labour gets away with U-turn
after U-turn. Take this week’s
PM’s Questions when Rishi
reminded Keir Starmer of his
countless somersaults, including
his persistent refusal to define
a woman.
This single issue — the denial
of a fundamental biological
truth — sums up Sir Shifty’s
alarming capacity for duplicity
and deceit.
It has nothing to do with
the tragic murder of teenager
Brianna Ghey or the presence
in the House of Commons of
her mother Esther.
Yet Rishi was howled down
by hysterical Labour MPs —
and a few of his own including
wannabe successor Penny
2GM
TREVOR
trevor.kavanagh@the-sun.co.uk
Mordaunt — in an explosion of Labour’s stance on “green
confected outrage. crap”, diversity and especially
The truth is that Labour is immigration.
terrified of being found on the These are the issues which
wrong side of this barbed wire. resonate with Tory waverers.
Gender is not a matter of They are crying out for a
taste or sensitivity, it is a reason to believe this clapped-
hot-button common sense issue out Tory regime is still in the
which moves voters. game after 14 years of drift.
Labour found out the hard Along with millions of
Labour voters, they worry
way last month, losing a rock-
solid seat on London’s left- about a twister like Sir Shifty
wing Hackney Council to a becoming their next PM.
After last week’s sensational
Tory who grabbed a shock 53
per cent of the turnout. decision to scrap its “unbreak-
able” 24-carat pledge to squan-
Harsh lesson der £28BILLION A YEAR on a
green delusion — more costly
Labour had enraged voters than the HS2 fiasco — how
by suspending candidate Laura
Pascal for rightly insisting a
can anyone trust Labour to run
the country?
trans woman is “by definition” The idea we can thank sensi-
a male.
Pascal was reinstated as the
ble Rachel Reeves — already
hailed as Labour’s next leader
storm burst, but too late.
In another richly deserved
— is another Labour fiction.
The Shadow Chancellor
blow, Labour missed out in the backed dotty Ed Miliband’s
Uxbridge by-election following
Boris Johnson’s exit — thanks
plan from the start and
actually flew to America to
to London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s sell it as a tribute to senile
vicious Ulez vendetta against President Joe Biden.
motorists. Voters simply hate It was dumped solely because
THE idea that Rishi Sunak will pick up the phone and
make a mayday call to Boris Johnson is for the birds.
True, despite the Covid frolics and questions over his
ability to tell truth from fiction, BoJo remains a vote-
whisperer phenomenon. But even he would be hard-
pressed to turn this one around.
In any case, the Brexit-winning ex-PM is not in the
business of helping Rishi win elections.
His plan is to follow Donald Trump and one day make
a triumphant return to high office. If Boris were to make
that call, it would effectively be to tell Rishi that it’s all
over and he might just as well give up the ghost.
voters were taking note. And
there are plenty more targets
for the Tories.
Mass immigration at up to
745,000 a year comes top of the
list. Along with crashing our
health and social services, it
is part of the housing crisis
that is costing young votes.
The Tories should instantly
ban migrant families from
shooting to the head of the
housing list.
Now Corbynite leftie Angela
Rayner has unleashed a wish-
list of workers’ rights under
pressure from Labour’s trade
union paymasters.
Rat-infested
Freedom to strike without
a shopfloor vote, more job
protection, longer maternity
leave, the right to work from
home . . . you name it, Angie
will dish it out. At a price.
Those tempted by Labour’s
pork-barrel politics will pay in
lost jobs and endless strikes.
For millennials, the 1970s is
ancient history.
But this was a bleak decade,
with public sector workers
perpetually on strike and rat-
infested rubbish piled high in
the streets.
Here we go again.
Thanks to those of us with
longer memories, we don’t need
to look in a crystal ball to
predict life under Labour.
We only have to look in the
rear-view mirror.
It’s a minute-to-midnight on
the election clock.
But there is still time for the
Tories to steer away from the
iceberg. Turn right, Rishi.
 Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 11

MONEY ROW
Flat plunge . . . Zac

Family of Monty
Python’s
fall lad, 19
rap cops’
evidence

flying off
By DANIEL HAMMOND
THE parents of a teen-
ager who died after fall-
ing into the River
Thames from his luxury
flat claim police missed
key evidence.
Zac Brettler, 19, was
pretending to be the son
of a dead Russian oli-
garch when he plunged
five floors in 2019.

the handle
He had spent the eve-
ning with gangster Dave
Sharma, 55 — who later
died in the flat — and the
son of a millionaire Tory
donor Akbar Shamji, 52.
Phone records and
CCTV images show they
probably knew Zac
jumped to his death, said
The Sunday Times.
Zac’s parents Matthew
and Rachelle, both 61,
claim detectives failed to
interview key witnesses.
A Met spokesman said:
“The investigation
led by an experienced
was He’s He’s a
detective. The case was
also reviewed by special-
not the very angry
ist homicide detectives.”
A inquest in 2022
Messiah.. boy!
returned an open verdict
By HOWELL DAVIES
EMMA Stone is tickled pink as
she giggles on the red carpet.
The US star, 35, wowed in a
low-cut dress at an awards
ceremony in LA on Saturday.
Emma is expected in London
next Sunday for the Baftas
and is a Best Actress nominee
for movie Poor Things.
Aid . . . smart meter

Savings
on heat’s PINK GEM IDLE BLASTS COMIC TROUPE
hot stuff
for Brits
STONE COMEDY legend Eric Idle
has exposed a rift in the
Monty Python troupe — and
denied he is “on the take”
from the group’s coffers.
By ROD McPHEE, TV Editor

company.” Daughter Lily Idle backed

him, writing online: “I’m so proud of
my dad for finally finally finally
starting to share the truth.”
The Pythons, who also included
John Cleese, 84, Michael Palin, 80,
By THOMAS GODFREY
Idle, 80, said he is still having
and the late Terry Jones — made a
to work as he receives only a mint thanks to films, including Life
SAVING energy is the fraction of the millions the team of Brian, hit stage show Spamalot,
second most frequent have made in the past because which Idle co-wrote, and the original
source of conversation the finances are a “disaster”. Flying Circus BBC TV series.
among Brits after holi- And he took aim at Holly Gilliam, They were back in the limelight in
days, a study shows. the TV lawyer daughter of fellow 2014 with Monty Python Live (Mostly)
Some 61 per cent share Python Terry Gilliam, 83. She took — One Down, Five to Go, a reference
tips on cutting costs with over the Python brand in 2013 as to former member Graham Chapman
two-thirds talking about part of HDG Projects Ltd. who died in 1989 aged just 48.
it every week, the poll of In messages on X, formerly Twitter, It featured interpretations of some
2,000 bill-payers found. Idle wrote: “I don’t know why of their sketches, and reportedly
A fifth chat to friends people always assume we’re earned the surviving members at
about energy saving tac- least £2million each. It was a
tics while almost half do loaded. I have to work
so to family. for my living. hit in Europe and the US and
One in four think they “I never dreamed that is still running on Broadway.
understand tariffs better at this age the income Idle, who lives in Califor-
than they did in 2019. streams would tail off nia, dismissed comments
Campaign group Smart so disastrously. suggesting he must still be
Energy GB commissioned “I have been work- wealthy, saying he had sold
the study as the cost of ing and earning for his house. He added: “We
living continues to bite. Pythons since 1995. still get something but not
It has launched a And now no more.” enough to keep me on the
Demand Flexibility Ser- In a dig at Holly beaches.” Cleese, meanwhile,
vice to help people cut Gilliam, he added: “I is working on a TV reboot of
their energy usage. guess if you put a Fawlty Towers, and Palin is
Spokeswoman Victoria Gilliam child in as your making travel documentaries.
Bacon said: “Energy sav- manager you should not rod.mcphee@the-sun.co.uk
ing is staying firmly at be so surprised.
the top of agendas. “One Gilliam is bad Still working . . .
“If you have a smart enough. Two can Eric Idle last year
meter, take advantage of take out any
schemes that reward you
for using energy at dif-
ferent times of the day.”
12 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
 Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 13

TURBINE ON TOUR
By WILLIAM McCURDY
Donnelly . . . go-ahead
STREETS ground to a halt as a

Dec plan 65metre-long wind turbine rotor

was slowly hauled along.
It is so big that it has to be

for party
transported on a special lorry
with the blade pointing upwards
to avoid damaging buildings,
trees and lampposts. The convoy,

room in with a police

escort, was in
the Scottish

mansion Borders town

of Hawick on
RES
Saturday.
It is the E T
EXCLUSIVE
by NICK PARKER ninth of 21
5 M
TV star Declan Donnelly
is splashing out on a
glitzy party room after
huge blades
for a nearby
wind farm.
6
buying the house next
door to his mansion.
Dec, 48, has invested
vast sums in his £7mil-
lion West London pile.
But the I’m A Celebrity

Picture: PAUL JACOBS

host, who has children
Isla and Jack with wife
Ali, is now refurbishing
the run-down property
next door after buying it
for £2.25million.
Plans show the star has
included a party room —
including a custom built
bar, a “vintage mirror”, a
fireplace and “bespoke”
bench seating for guests.
Public planning docu-
ments seen by The Sun
reveal the large semi is
being converted into two
swish apartments.
His plans for the house,
— two doors from telly
partner Ant McPartlin’s
former mansion in the
same street — were
approved by Hounslow
council last week.

High roller
. . blade’s
road trip

In port . . . carrier yesterday

Second COPS CALLED TO SUPERMARKET

FOUR BOYS, 12-14

warship’s
sailing is
delayed

IN RAPE ARREST
By JEROME STARKEY
A SECOND Royal Navy
aircraft carrier’s depart-
ture for Nato exercises
has been cancelled.
HMS Prince of Wales
was to leave Portsmouth
Naval Base yesterday.
It was expected to
replace the £3billion fleet
flagship, HMS Queen
Elizabeth, which post-
poned its departure last
Sunday because of pro-

Girl’s car park horror

peller problems.
Crew and base workers
have been busily prepar-
ing HMS Prince of Wales
to take over its sister
ship’s role in the exer-
cises off Norway.
People lined the walls
of Portsmouth Harbour to
watch the 65,000-tonne
warship’s deployment, but
after the harbour mouth
was closed to traffic, the
channel was reopened
and HMS Prince of
Wales failed to leave.
The MoD has been
approached for clarifica-
tion on the warship’s
departure plans.
By LUKE CHAFER
FOUR boys aged between
12 and 14 have been
arrested on suspicion of
raping a young girl in a
Morrisons car park.
The children, who are 12, 13,
14 and 14, were seized by
police on Saturday.
Cops were called to the Newbold
area of Rochdale at 6pm.
The quartet all remain in custody
while specialist officers are support-
ing the victim. A cordon last night
remained in place by the super-
market, which is near the Newbold
Metrolink tram stop.
Meanwhile, a forensics tent was
seen being set up near bushes.
Detectives went door-to-door
asking residents if they had heard
anything suspicious at around 6pm.
Lynn Davies, who lives close to
the cordon, told the Manchester
Evening News: “I knew something
had happened. The police came last
night knocking on out door to ask
if we had seen anything. It makes
my skin crawl. It’s bad enough
when it’s an adult, but children?”
John Hogkinson, 80, who also
lives directly next to the crime
scene, said: “The police came but
we didn’t hear anything.
“We were shocked because it’s so
quiet around here. I’ve lived here
for 17 years and I’ve never heard of
anything like this. It’s awful.”
A Greater Manchester Police
spokesman said yesterday: “Four
boys aged 12, 13, 14, 14 have been
arrested on suspicion of rape and
remain in police custody.
“The victim is currently being
supported by specialist officers.
“A scene remains in place as offi-
cers continue their investigation.”
They added: “If you or someone
you know has been raped or
sexually assaulted, we encourage
you not to suffer in silence. Report
it to the police, or a support agency
so you can get help and support.”
14 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024 2GM

Concern . . . Simon
FO-FO-FO-FORTY YEARS
Cowell in ZANDRA
dash to RHODES
DESIGN IN
1ST SHOW
injured
BGT lad
By ROD McPHEE
BRITAIN’S Got Talent
judge Simon Cowell
rushed to help a per-
former after he suffered
a nasty fall on stage dur-
KYLIE ON
ing auditions. CATWALK
A member of a dance
troupe collapsed in the
wings after a move went
horribly wrong yesterday.
Cowell, 64, raced from
the judges’ desk to the
stage. Medics then took
over as the safety curtain
came down at The Lowry
Theatre, Salford.
A show insider said:
“The lad, who was in his
early twenties, was obvi- HAMNETT
ously in agony.”
Cowell and fellow judge HIJACKS
Bruno Tonioli went back- MRS T
stage to check on him
while Alesha Dixon and
Amanda Holden enter-
tained the audience.
The auditions resumed
after an hour’s delay.
The dance troupe went SOPHIE
through to the next
round after four yesses.
DAHL’S BIG
The injured dancer was MOMENT
treated by medics.

VIVIENNE
WESTWOOD
DANCES
Champion . . . Jenson

Button’s
£130k car LFW was at the heart of the Cool
Britannia movement, which saw the
rise of Britpop bands such as Blur and
in the unlikely surroundings of Cobden
Working Men’s Club in West London.
Kylie Minogue was among the first

sale ‘was Oasis, the Young British Artists,

including Damien Hirst, and fashion
icons led by Kate Moss.
non-model celebs taking part, starring
for Antonio Berardi in 1995.
Among LFW’s dramas, Naomi

a fraud’
The supermodel was also at the Campbell took a tumble in 1993 on the
forefront of the “heroin chic” trend, Vivienne Westwood runway. In 1999,
which favoured pale, emaciated mod- model Shalom Harlow’s white dress
els with dark circles under their eyes. was sprayed with paint by robots in the
By LUKE CHAFER But as a forerunner of the later trend finale of Alexander McQueen’s show.
of plus-size models, Roald Dahl’s McQueen’s first collection, Taxi Driver,
FORMER F1 champion granddaughter Sophie made her LFW was in 1993, and two years later he
Jenson Button has been debut in 1997 in designer Lainey shocked audiences with his show
accused of fraudulently Keogh’s show Highland Rape, with models in torn
selling a vehicle that did clothes to symbolise the historical
not belong to him. “rape” of Scotland by England.
Button, 44, sold the
blue 1970 Ford Bronco
truck in 2022 for £130,000
via website Collecting
Cars, saying he had
owned it for four years.
But the 2009 world DIANA BRITPOP
champion had earlier TURNS & KATE
THE brainchild of PR queen for putting Kate Moss on the LFW MOSS
admitted that it
actually owned by his
was UP Lynne Franks and the British catwalk as a 15-year-old in 1989. The
wife Brittny Ward, 33. Fashion Council, the capital’s same year, she featured on the cover
Leo Eccles, 45, who first Fashion Week had a of The Face magazine and went on to
bought the Bronco, has far-from-glamorous setting become the UK’s most famous model.
launched a legal action – a tent in the Common- Seeing the festival as a way to attract
claiming Button was “not wealth Institute car park in trade to the UK, PM Margaret NAOMI
the legitimate owner”.
Mr Eccles, who runs a
Kensington, West London.
But from the start it featured
Thatcher threw a reception for LFW
designers at No10 that was hijacked by
CAMPBELL
gaming firm in Glouces- such designers as Vivienne Katharine Hamnett, who shed her TUMBLES
tershire, claims he paid a Westwood and Betty Jackson. coat to reveal an anti-nuke T-shirt.
premium believing that Graduate John Galliano Princess Diana was an early LFW
the car was Button’s and caused a sensation with his French supporter, hosting a reception in 1988
wants his money back. Revolution-themed show in 1984, and attending in the years afterwards.
Documents filed at Los throwing dead fish into the crowd in a In the late 1980s, LFW inspired
Angeles County Court
accuse Button and his headline-grabbing debut to a stellar Jennifer Saunders to create charac-
wife of fraud, intentional career. Galliano was also responsible ters Edina and Patsy in TV hit Ab Fab.
misrepresentation and
breach of contract.
Button did not comment.
 2GM Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 15

OF FA-FA-FA-FASHION WEEK
By ALISON MALONEY
IT’S the hottest ticket in the
fashion world, with celebs,
supermodels and influencers
all battling for a coveted place
on the “Frow”, or front row.
But the reach of London
Fashion Week – celebrating its
40th birthday when it kicks off
this Friday – goes far beyond
the glitzy designer shows and
A-list parties.
Since its modest beginnings HARRY
in a Kensington car park in STYLES &
1984, the annual event has DITA VON
shaped our lives and led
the way in British culture. TEESE
It was the inspiration behind PETA
Absolutely Fabulous, kicked off
Cool Britannia and launched PROTEST
the catwalk careers of Kate
Moss, Naomi Campbell and
Cara Delevingne.
But the event has never been
short of controversy either –
with one designer throwing
dead fish into the crowd and
models even parading down
the runway naked.
From rows over “heroin
chic” to the infamous
Naomi Campbell tumble,
we celebrate four
decades of London
Fashion Week.

CARA
DELEVINGNE
DEBUT AT 18

POSH SPICE
SASHAYS INTO
FASHION

NEWLY departed Spice Girl Victoria

Beckham used LFW to signal her
move away from singing to couture
when she made her catwalk debut for
designer Maria Grachvogel in 2000.
She went on to be an ambassador
for Dolce & Gabbana and designed a
line for jeans brand Rock & Republic
before starting her own label in 2006.
Singer Bjork also made headlines
after buying a dress in the shape of a
swan from Marjan Pejoski’s 2001
show before famously wearing it
to the Oscars and dropping eggs
as she walked the red carpet.
The backlash over heroin chic
and zero-sized models came to a
head in 2006 after the tragic pass-
ing of 22-year-old Uruguayan star
Luisel Ramos, who died of heart
failure after living on salad leaves
and Diet Coke for three months.
Madrid Fashion Week banned
models with a body mass index
below 18.5, but London Fashion
Week bosses didn’t follow suit,
leading to a backlash by celebs such
as Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz.
But the Noughties also saw a growth
in the trend of the plus-size model,
which had been pioneered by Sophie
Dahl and others in the 1990s.
And pop met fashion again in 2008
when Prince performed during a
Matthew Williamson show.
BJORK
SWANS
IT
NAKED
(BUT FOR
THAT HAT)
IN 2010, LFW saw the debut of 18-
year-old Cara Delevingne walking for
Burberry’s Christopher Bailey. The
designer had discovered her working
part-time in the company’s offices.
The decade brought controversy to
Fashion Week, as French wig-maker
Charlie Le Mindu sent models down
the runway in nothing but hats, wigs
and towering platform boots in 2010.
Then in 2017, lingerie-clad models
PRINCE were kicked off the red carpet during a
PLAYS protest by animal rights group Peta,
and Extinction Rebellion staged a
“funeral” at the 2019 LFW finale.
The clamour for A-listers to be seen
on the front row kicked up a gear, with
QUEEN
& ANNA
WINTOUR
Harry Styles stealing the limelight in
2013, showing up with Sienna Miller,
Kelly Osbourne and Dita Von Teese.
Even the Queen gave the event royal
approval when she joined Vogue boss IRINA
Anna Wintour for Richard Quinn’s SHAYK
2018 show, and a year later the then
Prince Charles teamed up with WITH
sustainable designers Vin + Omi to ‘BRUISE’
promote their LFW collection. MAKE-UP
Today the event is more of a celeb-
rity circus than ever, with Instagram-
loving stars including Kim Kardashian
and Heidi Klum flocking to attend.
Last year, Irina Shayk caused a
huge row by appearing with a fake
black eye and bruised lip.
16 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
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 2GM Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 17

KILLER’S SICK JAIL BOASTS

Attack scene . . Bootle

Pair face BRIANNA FIEND

GLEE OVER FAME
rap after
‘XL Bully’
bites lad
By RICHARD MORIARTY
TWO people will appear
in court today after a boy THE pitiless teenage killer of EXCLUSIVE by PAUL SIMS revelling in her notoriety at Adel Beck
and RICHARD MORIARTY secure unit in Leeds. They said:
was bitten on the head by
a suspected XL Bully dog.
Brianna Ghey gleefully “Before she was found guilty at trial
The eight-year-old was Googled her crimes from youngster, left, was killed. Flowers,
she wasn’t publicly identified in the
media but she Googled her name and
attacked in the commu-
nal area of a block of
behind bars — and laughed: candles and a painting of Brianna found people talking about her.
were laid in Warrington, Cheshire.
flats in Bootle, Liverpool, “I know how famous I am.” Jenkinson and her accomplice Eddie
“She loved the idea of fame. It was
on Saturday afternoon. Warped Scarlett Jenkinson, 16, one of the only times I saw genuine
Ratcliffe led Brianna to her death at emotion from her. She was proud of
Last night he was in a dismissed the agony of her Linear Park in nearby Culcheth.
serious condition in what she did. It was chilling.”
victim’s parents, telling shocked The two, both then 15, stabbed The source said Jenkinson asked
hospital after an op for vulnerable Brianna 28 times with
“life-changing” injuries. jail staff: “They don’t staff to buy her a book on US
mean anything to me.” a £13.50 hunting knife before serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, who
Amanda Young, 49, and they were disturbed by dog
Lewis Young, 30, both of Asked if she felt regret, ate body parts of his victims.
she replied: “I did for two walkers. Self-confessed Satanist Jenkinson’s parents, mean-
Bootle, were charged with Jenkinson, who watched torture
being in charge of a dog hours. Now I don’t give a while, thanked Brianna’s mum
f**k, and I’d do it again.” videos on the dark web, must for her “overwhelming com-
dangerously out of con- serve at least 22 years.
trol and causing injury. It comes after Brianna’s passion” after she called for
mum Esther joined mourn- Transphobic Ratcliffe, now 16, them to be shown “empathy”
The pair, not related to faces a minimum of 20 years.
the child, are due to ers yesterday at a vigil and applauded the judge for
to mark one year since A source said Jenkinson is naming their daughter at
appear before Liverpool
magistrates’ court today. Esther . . vigil yesterday the 16-year-old transgender Twisted . . . killer Jenkinson Manchester crown court.
Det Insp Gary Stratton,
of Merseyside Police,
called it “a horrific
attack” adding: “This case
highlights in the starkest

DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?

terms the potential dan-
gers of dogs.”
It is now illegal to own
an XL Bully dog without
an exemption.

Claim . . of conversion

Migrant
paedo’s
Christian
‘lies’ quiz
By THOMAS GODFREY
AN illegal migrant
convicted of child sex
offences can appeal to
stay in the UK — despite
his claim of becoming a
Christian being rejected.
The Iranian paedo, 45,
named only as MM, who
entered Britain illegally
in 2010, had been jailed
for five years over two
attacks on minors.
He delayed deportation
after his 2018 release by
saying he had become
interested in Christianity.
He said he was bap-
tised in 2020 and had a By HOWELL DAVIES
cross tattoo on his body.
A tribunal dismissed A TAXI driver gets a right royal earful from actor Rufus
his claim in 2021. But a Sewell, who plays Prince Andrew in an upcoming movie.
ruling last month said it
Picture: MJ PICTURES

Rufus, 56, pulled out his phone at Heathrow to show

can be heard again.
MM may be allowed to off pictures of himself as disgraced Andy, 63.
stay in the UK if a fresh It’s said Rufus, star of dystopian drama The Man in
hearing accepts his con- the High Castle, spent three hours a day in make-up
version was genuine. being transformed into Andrew, left, for Scoop.
David Spencer, of the The Netflix film is a retelling of the 2019 car crash
Centre for Crime Preven- interview between the royal and the BBC’s Emily Maitlis,
tion, said using religion played by Gillian Anderson.
on claims is a “gaping
loophole”. The Home
Office did not comment.
18 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
 Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 19

SEND TO ALL SECTION ‘BREACH’

Theatre row . . . Ralph

Star fury BBC BIG

SHOW’S
at trigger
warnings
By HOWELL DAVIES
ACTOR Ralph Fiennes,

BIG AD
who plays M in James
Bond films, has slammed
theatres that issue warn-
ings about scary scenes.
The 61-year-old — who
is also evil Voldemort in
the Harry Potter movies
— insists audiences should
be surprised at what
happens on stage, not
warned in advance.
It comes after London’s
Globe gave a trigger

BY AJ
warning about “upsetting”
themes in its production
of Shakespeare’s Romeo
and Juliet.
Fiennes — currently
playing Macbeth on stage
— yesterday told the
BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg
he would ban warnings.
Asked if audiences had
gone soft, he replied: “I
think they have.
“We didn’t used to have
trigger warnings.
“There are very

Phone plug to McIntyre

disturbing scenes in
Macbeth — terrible
murders and things — but
the impact of theatre
should be you’re shocked.
You should be disturbed.”

Cancer’s MICHAEL McIntyre’s Big EXCLUSIVE by ROD McPHEE Twitter: “AJ does a television

early test
DEADLY ovarian cancer
could soon be detected
early by a new urine test.
Symptoms, like bloat-
ing, are not always obvi-
ous to women.
Earlier studies showed
that thousands of mole-
cules, called peptides, in
the urine of patients is a
hidden sign of the cancer.
US scientists have found
a new way, called nano-
pore sensing, to more eas-
ily detect those peptides.
Prof Joseph Reiner
said: “There is a 50 to 75
per cent improvement in
five-year survival when
cancers are detected at
their earliest stages.”
Show bosses could be
rapped for allowing pre-
senter AJ Odudu to “plug”
a mobile phone brand that
she advertised.
The Big Brother co-host
was the face of Google Pixel
from 2022 to 2023.
Viewers on Saturday night saw
her give her phone to comedian
Michael for his “Send to All”
segment — where he sends an
embarrassing text to her contacts.
Michael remarked that it was
not an iPhone and AJ confirmed it
was a Google Pixel — adding that
she had owned one of the Apple
devices but that it was too fragile.
She said: “With iPhones every time
I dropped them, the screen would
smash. Five times in one week I
dropped my phone and smashed
it. It was five consecutive days and
I thought, ‘I can’t have this.’ ”
AJ said the Pixel was “stur-
dier” and showed off her
confidence in it by throwing
it from her theatre box to
the stage, where 47-year-
old Michael caught it.
Viewers at home could
not help but notice the
apparent plug by AJ, 35,
who filmed the show last
year and co-hosts Celebrity
Big Brother on ITV next
month. One wrote on X/
Big Show host . . . McIntyre
ALFIE DRAPER: A STAR IS BORN — PAGES 26 & 27
commercial for the Google Pixel
phone. This is on the BBC.
What’s all that about?”
Another wrote: “AJ Odudu
spoke about her Google Pixel
phone being better than an
iPhone for about a minute.
“Clearly against their
guidelines . . . interested to
see what they say as we
were agog!”
The BBC has to adhere
to strict guidelines pro-
hibiting the promotion of
products on their shows,
whether it is done bla-
tantly or subtly.
The BBC was contacted
for comment last night.
rod.mcphee@
FACE OF GADGET
the-sun.co.uk AJ’s advert, and, above, on BBC show
20 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024

buzz GOT GOSSIP? CALL

OR WHATSAPP THE
BIZ BATPHONE
WE NEVER SLEEP

bi 07590 802979

l GOOD to see a smile back on JESY NELSON’s

face after a rocky few years. IT’S AN
ETERNAL
It’s fair to say she hasn’t had the easiest time since
quitting LITTLE MIX in 2020, but she has now spent
several months travelling the globe and it looks like it’s
done her the power of good.
The Shout Out To My Ex singer shared this snap of

SHAME
herself pouting on a beach in Sydney, Australia, during her
latest trip with rapper boyfriend ZION FOSTER.
Taking time out from music is the best thing she could
have done, if you
ask me. I just
hope she
doesn’t feel ETERNAL’s legacy has really gone down the
the need to pan after LOUISE REDKNAPP and KELLE
race back BRYAN quit the planned reunion.
into it The band’s remaining members, sisters
VERNIE and EASTHER BENNETT, are now
before preparing to perform in a grotty car park.
she’s Eternal, who had hits in the Nineties with I
ready. Wanna Be The Only One and Stay, are set to
take to a pop-up stage positioned at a spot
where you’d usually park your motor at the
NEC in Birmingham.
The show, in May, is being billed as their
first major gig in a decade but promoters are,
unsurprisingly, struggling to sell tickets
despite pushing the “selling point” that
seeing the tatters
of Eternal next to
a Ford Focus
rather than in a
grassy field is a
plus.
An advert for
the gig reads:
“This event will
be hosted on
our North 5 car
HEYDAY: IN 1994 park and the
whole festival
site is
on concrete so
no muddy boots.”
Incredibly, the tickets cost upwards of £50.
While things were looking bright for an WINNIE
Eternal comeback, that all went out of the
window last year when the foursome clashed HARLOW
in a row over trans issues.
It was said Vernie and Easther felt “the gay
community was being hijacked by the trans
community and they do not support this”.
That led to Louise and Kelle, who are
staunch supporters of LGBTQ+ causes,
walking away from the planned comeback.
Vernie and Easther are now back in the ICE SPICE
studio with the band’s original manager and
are hoping to follow in TAYLOR SWIFT’s

OUR
footsteps by re-recording their hits.

YE’S GONE l SOPHIE

BEXTOR’S hopes of
ELLIS-
THE WEEK IN
AND DONNA finally reaching
with Murder On The
Dancefloor are
No 1

IT AGAIN fading
because
US singer-
songwriter
fast
of
KANYE WEST just can’t help himself. After
infuriating OZZY OSBOURNE by sampling NOAH
a BLACK SABBATH song at an event for KAHAN.
his new album Vultures 1, he’s gone and He could
done it again. score a gigs in Glasgow on Thursday,
When he finally dropped the record on seventh
Saturday, DONNA SUMMER’s estate week at No1
lashed out, claiming the rapper had this Friday with
sampled her 1977 hit I Feel Love despite Stick Season,
them rejecting his request to do so. after keeping her at No 2
The clip is used on Ye’s song Good for four weeks.
(Don’t Die) although it is not sung by her. Sophie’s song peaked
A post on the Instagram page for at No 2 when first
Donna’s estate said: “Kanye West . . . asked released in 2001, but
permission to use Donna’s song I Feel has had a massive
Love. He was denied . . . he changed the resurgence in recent
words, had someone re-sing it or used AI weeks after being used
but it’s I Feel Love. Copyright infringement!” in the final scene of the
Loads of the 16-track record uses movie Saltburn.
samples, but fans noticed that Everybody, But midweek data from
which Kanye had teased at his Official Charts shows
listening party and which Sophie’s tune is set to slip
uses an interpolation of the to No 3, with TEDDY
1997 BACKSTREET BOYS SWIMS’ Lose Control
hit, was absent. taking her spot.
British producer JOE Elsewhere, ELLA
GODDARD from HOT HENDERSON could net
CHIP had his 2011 song a ninth Top Ten single
Gabriel sampled on Ye’s with her RUDIMENTAL
track Beg Forgiveness. collaboration Alibi as it
He said on Instagram: sails up the charts.
“Real house music It is currently
lovers know where this at No 11.
song is from.”
bizness
TUESDAY: KIM PETRAS will bring her
Feed The Beast world tour to the UK –
marking her first full-length shows
here in four years. The Unholy singer
kicks things off in Birmingham, before
Manchester on Friday and London on
Monday.
THURSDAY: The all-star cast of ZENDAYA,
FLORENCE PUGH, TIMOTHEE
CHALAMET and AUSTIN BUTLER will
descend on London’s Leicester Square for
the world premiere of Dune: Part Two. They
will officially launch the sci-fi sequel in the
capital before its release on March 1.
FRIDAY: There will be plenty of fresh tunes
to listen to as PALOMA FAITH drops new
album The Glorification Of Sadness, all
about her heartbreaking split from her
husband. On the flip side, JENNIFER
LOPEZ will release her album This Is
Me . . . Now, which is inspired by her
rekindled romance with BEN AFFLECK, NOW
who she married in 2022.
SUNDAY: Movie stars will jet into the UK
for the EE Bafta Film Awards at London’s
Southbank Centre, hosted by DAVID
TENNANT. Oppenheimer leads with 13
nominations, followed by Poor Things,
starring EMMA STONE and MARK
RUFFALO, with 11. SOPHIE ELLIS-
BEXTOR will perform Murder On The THEN
Dancefloor at the event, following the
song’s resurgence in the film Saltburn.

ELLIE HENMAN’S
I DOUBT many are
genuine NFL fans,
but stars were out in
force in Las Vegas at
the weekend ahead
of the Super Bowl.
Rapper ICE SPICE
wore a see-through
black outfit which
exposed her under-
wear for a party on
Saturday night, also
attended by model
WINNIE HARLOW.
Meanwhile, JAY-Z threw a bash
and LEONARDO DiCAPRIO was
spotted watching U2 during the
band’s residency in Sin City.
On the same day, sisters KIM
and KHLOE KARDASHIAN were
also living it up nearby.
Kim was wearing a
JAY-Z
NEXT STEPS
THEY have been brightening
up the pop world for 27 years
but there is plenty of steam
left in STEPS.
My favourite Nineties group have
just launched their own jukebox
musical and revealed their bid to
turn it into a movie. They also aim
to perform at Glastonbury.
Such epic plans were unthinkable
when the band first burst into the
charts in 1997 with the novelty
single 5, 6, 7, 8, but they reckon
people underestimating them is the
secret to their success.
In their only tabloid interview at
the launch event for the musical
Here & Now, IAN ‘H’ WATKINS
said: “I love that people under-
estimate us. People always expect
us to be bubblegum cheesy pop but
we are far deeper than that. It goes
on so many different levels.
“People completely underestimate
us and then we throw a curveball
and blow everybody away. The
With
HOWELL
DAVIES
& JACK
HARDWICK
hat to pose with
Power actress LA LA
ANTHONY.
The reality star
was also spotted
with new boyfriend
ODELL BECKHAM
JR, who is 12 years
younger than her.
Kim has been
PARTY PEOPLE secretly dating the
NFL player for
months and they
were finally snapped together
on Saturday.
Odell’s team, the Baltimore
Ravens, were not competing
in last night’s game, so that
should have given him a
chance to teach Kim the
rules of American football.
I could certainly do with
cowboy some pointers.
LA LA
ANTHONY
ODELL BECKHAM JR
Pop veterans unveil musical, plan for
film and 30th-anniversary Glasto gig
critics once laughed at us but we a pact with each other to have a
are having the last laugh.” summer of love. It’s about the ups
LISA SCOTT-LEE said: “We never and downs. There are teary bits.”
thought we’d be here 27 years on. Steps were the soundtrack of my
“That’s why we feel so blessed, youth, so I can’t wait to hear hits
because none of us expected to still such as One For Sorrow, Stomp
be having this longevity in what is and Tragedy all over again.
a very tough industry.” But FAYE TOZER said: “We
A decade in the making, Here & wanted to make a standalone musi-
Now features Steps songs but not cal theatre piece that could be for
the band themselves. It will open people who don’t know our music.
at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre “It was important for us to get
on November 9, and fans snapped the story right, which is why it has
up 10,000 tickets within hours of taken this long and the right team’s
them going on sale on Friday. fallen into place now. It’s been on
CLAIRE RICHARDS said of the our minds for at least ten years.”
show: “It’s set in a superstore and Even though the show won’t open
it’s about a group of friends who for another nine months, Steps —
work there and they kind of make who scored their fourth No1 album
l OASIS, MARIAH CAREY
and the late, great SINEAD
O’CONNOR are among the
nominees to enter the Rock &
Roll Hall of Fame this year.
The full list of acts includes
CHER, SADE, MARY J BLIGE,
JANE’S ADDICTION, A TRIBE
CALLED QUEST, DAVE
MATTHEWS BAND, PETER
FRAMPTON, ERIC B & RAKIM,
FOREIGNER, KOOL & THE
GANG, LENNY KRAVITZ
and OZZY OSBOURNE, left.
KIM
KARDASHIAN
in 2022 with Platinum Collection —
already hope for a film version.
LEE LATCHFORD-EVANS said: “It
could become a movie. I think we’ll
have to see how it goes.”
Claire continued: “I was listening
to the script yesterday and I can
see it. It’s there.”
And Lisa added: “It would be a
dream come true. We have all
discussed it in hope.”
The group said there is someone
they are expecting to beg to be in
the show — Steps superfan and
Claire’s best mate RYLAN CLARK.
As to whether he has asked, she
said: “I haven’t had that discussion
yet but I’m sure he will at some
point. He can sing.” And as if I
Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 21
Nominees must have been
commercially successful for at
least 25 years to be eligible, with
the shortlist due out in the coming
months. Ozzy was previously
inducted as part of BLACK
SABBATH but wife SHARON hit
out over him not being recognised
as a solo act. She said: “I will
never beg. And I will never ask for
favours. So, my thing is, f*** you if
you don’t realise somebody really
deserves to be here. And you
don’t recognise that? Then, see ya!”
KHLOE
KARDASHIAN
couldn’t love Steps any more, they
have also shown their commitment
to their fans by keeping the ticket
prices affordable, with seats start-
ing at just £13.
Claire said: “We always try to do
that. Even with the tours, our
tickets aren’t ridiculously priced
compared to other acts.”
Steps have teased that the pro-
duction could include new songs,
although they don’t plan to make
any albums until their 30th anni-
versary in 2027, when they hope to
tick off another major bucket list
item — performing at Glastonbury.
Over the past few years the festi-
val has had SUGABABES and McFLY
causing pandemonium with their
performances there, so in my view
it’s time Steps got their chance to
perform on the Pyramid Stage.
H said: “We want to do Glaston-
bury. ELTON JOHN waited 50 years
to do it.”
But Lee teased: “We’re not going
to wait that long, though!”
I certainly hope not.
22 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024

‘HONEST’ P-P-PICK UP A GREAT DAY OUT

KILLER’S
WING
IT . . .
TODAY’S meet the
penguins
CODE
IS ON

UK STAY
PAGE 16

Soft justice scandal

A FOREIGN murderer can stay in the UK GET 2 TICKETS
& SAVE UP TO £66
after a judge ruled his failure to mention
his criminal past was an honest mistake.
The Romanian got 20 years in his homeland
in 1997 for suffocating a man of 60 with a
towel before stealing cash from his flat.
Immigration Judge Luke Bulpitt said he believed
the decorator, who was not named, made a genuine
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 Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 23

LEAD ROLE FOR CLOONEY

By HOWELL DAVIES
ACTOR George Clooney’s barrister wife
Trapped . . vans & trash struggles to cope with her latest brief —

Villagers
carrying a Saint Bernard he bought her.
Amal got the dog as a present for her
46th birthday last week.
But the pup, named Nelson, was a real

block in handful as she and George, 62, right,

took a stroll in the south of France.
Eventually, the dog fell asleep in her

vans of
arms as they walked near their home in
the Cote d’Azur. Saint Bernards can
grow to 13st — so taking care of him
might be George’s toughest role yet.

fly-tip pair
EXCLUSIVE
By DANIEL HAMMOND
QUICK-thinking villagers
trapped two fly-tippers

TRAITOR,
by blocking their vans
with their cars.
The dirty duo dumped
a mountain of old foam
padding and bin bags
full of waste in a lane.
But when they tried to
leave they could not
drive back through the
villagers’ blockade.
Police were summoned
and forced the fly-tippers

THERE’S
to reload their junk
before seizing the vans
under environment laws.
A probe into the dump
in Meriden, West Mids,
could lead to prosecution.
Police said: “Residents
blocked the offenders in.
“We found some of the
worse tipping we’d seen.
We detained two males
who were told to reload.

A FLY IN
“We supervised them
cleaning up and enjoyed
tea and cake courtesy of
a farmer’s wife. None for
these offenders.”
The village blocked an
illegal Traveller site for
600 days 12 years ago.

Revision . . . for theory

£16m lost
on failed
MY SOUP
Diane on MasterChef
tests by By ROD McPHEE, TV Editor

learners TRAITORS star Diane Car-

son has become the first
By THOMAS GODFREY contestant to bag another
MORE than £16million big show after signing up
has been wasted on for Celebrity Masterchef.
failed driving theory tests The retired teacher, 63,
in the past year alone,
research has revealed. appeared on the hit BBC
The test pass rate has murder-mystery game show
steadily declined since alongside her son Ross.
2007. Last year, 1.3million Viewers saw him shame her
people took the £23 cooking, saying she couldn’t cook a
theory test but only 45 Sunday roast without “cremating” it.
per cent passed. But after leaving The Traitors,
Nervousness or anxiety Diane said she would be up for a
were the most common telly cooking show: “I think it
reasons for failing, then would be great to do Sunday Roasts
not enough familiarity at Diane’s House with celebrities.
with road rules. “How good would that be! I’d
Fourteen per cent said have anybody round, that would be Diane . . set for a new TV challenge
they lacked sufficient fine! And my roast dinners aren’t
time for revision, with as bad as Ross says.” shocking scenes last month, she left
many devoting fewer A TV insider said: “Diana was the show after drinking from a
than five hours. one of the most popular people to “poisoned chalice” and had to climb
RED Driver Training, take part in the show into a coffin to be “buried alive”.
Picture: MEGA AGENCY

which asked 2,000 drivers, “Traitors fans will be delighted Irish Diane, from Lytham St
recommends 30 minutes a she’s making an appearance in Annes, Lancs, is set to be joined on
day for two months and another BBC prime-time show, and Celebrity Masterchef by Geordie
have launched apps to will get the chance to prove she’s Shore star Charlotte Crosby, Steps
assist learners. not the kitchen disaster her son singer Ian “H” Watkins, presenter
The firm’s boss Seb claims she is.” Edith Bowman, Radio 1Xtra’s
Goldin said: “We want to Diana’s relationship to Ross was Snoochie Shy and Gladiator Nitro,
see an increase in first- kept secret from the other Traitors AKA Harry Aikines-Aryeetey. It is
time theory test contestants. In one of the most due to be screened later this year.
successes, steering away
from the approach of
attempting to ‘wing it’.
24 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024

READY-MADES TEST FOR SHROVE TUESDAY

Sweet Pancakes (8) Sweet Pancakes (6) Sweet Pancakes (6) Sweet Pancakes (8)
£2.85, tesco.com £2.40, sainsburys.co.uk £2, Morrisons £2.70, Asda

THESE French-inspired crepe-style SAINSBURY’S give you fewer pre-made ANOTHER super-quick, pre-made THE lovely lace effect on the outside of
pancakes look scrumptious with their pancakes in this packet than some option which can be ready in a flash. these sweet treats makes them look
lovely mottled batter and sweet, other stores, making them potentially These only need 35 seconds in the incredibly appetising. Rare . . one of the dolls

Couple’s
delicious aroma. more expensive than other options. microwave, so are ideal for a speedy And they have a really nice texture,
Pre-flipped on a hot plate for that grid- But while you may not get as many, snack, even if it isn’t Shrove Tuesday. which is not too chewy or thick.
dled “food truck” look, they need to be they are tasty. The batter is smooth, They are a little bland so need I liked that you get eight in a packet,
kept in the fridge until you scoff them. making them even in consistency, thin livening up with your favourite filling. so there are lots to go round, and these
But do ensure you warm them
properly. I heated them in a pan,
but they can also be
and delicate in the continental style.
Heat these in the oven, microwave or
a frying pan. I went for the latter, which
If you don’t have a sweet tooth, they
are ideal paired with cream cheese or,
if you are feeling posh, try some
can be eaten warm or cold straight from
the fridge – making them even more
convenient in a pancake crisis. 1,000 doll
hoard set
microwaved. took just a minute smoked salmon. Heated up, they
Not too on each side. I found were tasty,
thick, these Quick, tasty myself eating and rather
tasted lovely. and perfect these more on the
As
packet says,
they
sweet – so
the

are
with fruit or a
dollop of jam,
or scoff them
straight.
like wraps as
an alterna-
tive
option.
lunch
sweet side
but super-
moreish.
Add a
for £½m
more of a It’s just a Some did squeeze of By WILLIAM McCURDY
brekkie treat pity there were break during lemon to
for those who 4/ not more to go 4/ the cooking, 3/ sharpen 4/ A COLLECTION of more

5 5 5
than 1,000 antique dolls
like a sugary fix. round.
5 though. them up. amassed by a couple over
75 years is set to fetch
£500,000 at auction.
FRYING pans at the ready! It’s Shrove Austin Smith and late
partner Margaret Harkins
Tuesday tomorrow and time for the displayed the 18th and
mouth-watering annual flipping 19th century mannequins
feast to take place. all over their home but
We scoff more than 100million others rarely saw them.
They make up the
pancakes each year on the “largest and most valu-
milestone date, which marks the able doll collection seen
last day before Lent and the 40 for 25 years”, say experts.
days leading up to Easter. Top sale lot is an
emergency plate English wooden doll set
Whether you like your crepes thin and filler, there are plenty to fetch up to £15,000.
filled with chocolate, savoury with of convenient, ready-made A doll with a news-
cheese or just plain with a twist of paper petticoat featuring
packs on sale. the murder of a maid
lemon, there is a treat for every taste. Here, LAURA STOTT tosses up a could make £8,000.
And if you can’t be bothered to make pre-made supermarket selection and Two sales will be held
your own batter or you are in need of an rates each out of five. in Newbury, Berks.

TALE OF
Daniel Agnew, of Spe-
cial Auction Services, said
he was “staggered” by the
collection which filled Mr
Smith’s home. The house
also has a room full of
clockwork puppets and
one with dolls’ houses.
Mr Agnew said: “It’s a
collector’s dream.”

THE CREPE Hit . . the rollercoaster

14 hurt by
tree fall at
wooden
FLIPPING TASTY . . . millions of
pancakes will be tossed tomorrow
roller ride
By NATALIE PENZA
AT least 14 thrillseekers
were injured after a tree
collapsed on a wooden
rollercoaster yesterday.
Sweet Pancakes (6) OaYeah! Pancakes (6) Rowan Hill Giant Ma Raeburn’s Sweet Two were airlifted to
£2.75, M&S £2.40, sainsburys.co.uk Buttermilk Pancakes (4) Pancakes (8) hospital and are in a
critical condition.
99p, Lidl £2.30, Iceland Bosses at PortAventura
HAILING from the pancake motherland IDEAL for pancake lovers with dietary World in Spain blamed
of Holland, these are probably about restrictions such as vegans, those THE packet says giant and, as far as ICELAND’S bargain offering was the high winds for the horror.
as authentic a batter as you can get avoiding dairy or anyone wanting to try American-style buttermilk pancakes cheapest of all the eight-pack pre-made The tree came down on
without mixing and tossing your own. something different on Shrove Tuesday. go, it’s not wrong. pancakes I tried, as well as the biggest – the popular Tomahawk
A little pricier, but you get lots for This pre-made pack contains oat milk This style of sweet snack is tradition- and there is no compromise on taste. ride at the theme park in
your money. While there are only six instead of the traditional option and is ally more muffin-sized, but these ones Almost dinner plate-sized and thick Salou, near Tarragona.
flippers in the pack, they are noticeably low in sugar too. from Lidl are massive – almost akin to enough to be very filling, these were The two badly injured
larger and thicker than most of the other The result is a nuttier offering which normal frying pan flippers, making them fluffy and substantial for a crepe-style victims were yesterday
ready-made options. tastes satisfyingly wholesome. a decent ready-made candidate for treat. So they are ideal as the basis evening in hospitals in
A gorgeous golden colour, American-style so they tomorrow’s festivities. Thicker and more for a meal or just ensuring Barcelona and Tarragona.
once heated are thicker and fluffier, saccharine, these can be enjoyed you serve up a Three others with less
these were the ingredients breakfast-style with fruit and jam, honey breakfast fit serious injuries were also
or syrup. for a king. treated in hospital.
perfect with mean they are on Women and children
savoury fill- the pricey side, They will fill Heat from
the fridge in were among those hurt.
ings. but are perfect you up, but The theme park said in
I added for anyone who won’t go far a pan, micro-
wave or oven, a statement: “Due to high
spinach and can’t enjoy a if you want winds, an accident has
cheddar for regular mix. to scoff more then try add- occurred in which a tree
a not very The pancake than one. It is ing ice cream. came down on the Toma-
traditional equivalent of such a shame Perfect for
but delicious 4/ a slice of brown 3/ there are only 3/ saving pennies 5/ hawk rollercoaster.
“Some of the branches
plate.
5 bread.
5 four in a pack.
5 this pancake day.
5 hit customers who were
on the attraction.”
Police are investigating.
Let’s get it doner
Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 25

It’s dope
on rope
A FIRM is flogging
cannabis bath bombs
for Valentine’s Day.
Each one is soaked
with 100mg of organic
cannabidiol (CBD).

KEBAB LOVERS ARE BEST IN THE SACK

KEBAB fans are Turkish
delightful in bed, accord-
ing to a survey.
It found consumers of
doners and shish kebabs
were most likely to spice
things up in the sack.
But pizza eaters looking for a
slice of action didn’t cut it, being
By WILL BARKER
voted the biggest flops. The sur-
vey asked 2,000 people to reveal
the favourite takeaways enjoyed
by their best lovers.
Kebabs came top with 21 per
cent, followed by Mexican (17
per cent), fish and chips (15 per
cent) and Indian (10 per cent).
Pizza came last with just three
per cent. Kebab fans include
teenage darts star Luke Littler, 17,
who fuels up on kebab wraps
with chips and mayonnaise.
Caroline Scott, 37, of Watford,
once dated a bloke who ate at
least three kebabs a week.
She said: “I put up with the
kebab breath because he was
really good in bed.
“I only dated him for six
They are available for
EATY LOVER
Top 10 favourite foods
£10 each online from
CBD firm Canamis, of
of best in bed Abbots Langley, Herts.
1 Kebab 21% It describes them as:
months in 2015, but even now
2 Mexican 17% “A real treat for the
just the smell of chilli sauce and mind and body, offering
onion makes me remember him.” 3 Fish & chips 15%
a moment of calm from
The survey was carried out by 4 Indian 10%
your hectic world.”
illicitencounters.com, the country’s 5 Thai 9% CBD, said to help
most popular married dating site. 6 Chinese 8%
Spokeswoman Jessica Leoni sleep and ease pain and
7 Fried chicken 7% stress, is legal as it
said: “It seems the secret to
being a bedroom maestro is 8 Burger & fries 6% doesn’t contain psycho-
hidden in the world of kebabs.” 9 Sushi 4% active compound THC.
will.barker@the-sun.co.uk 10 Pizza 3%

FLY A
WEIGH Kiwi . . vitamin C boost

Kiwi fruit
is a tonic
in 4 days
By SAM BLANCHARD
EATING kiwi fruit can
give mental health a lift
in as little as four days.
They are packed full of
vitamin C — previously
associated with improved
mood, vitality, well-being
and lower depression.
A study looked at how
quickly mood improved
after adding vitamin C to
the diet.
Boffins held an eight-
week survey of 155 adults
with low levels of the
vitamin who took either
a supplement, placebo or
two kiwi fruit daily.
The results, published
in the British Journal of
Nutrition, showed kiwi
fruit improved vitality
and mood in four days,
peaking at 14-16 days —
while supplements only
marginally improved
mood up until day 12.
Lead author Dr Ben
Fletcher, of New Zea-
land’s University of
Otago, said: “What we eat
can have a relatively fast
impact on how we feel.”

Fine vow
By HOWELL DAVIES
on water
WATER companies could
AN AIRLINE passenger is weighed before be fined up to a tenth of
boarding in a trial which has been accused their turnover for poor
of “fat-shaming”. customer service, the
industry regulator said.
Finland’s national car- Under new powers
rier is running the Ofwat will target firms if
voluntary scheme in “we see failure” in how
capital Helsinki to help consumers are treated.
calculate fuel needs and More than 230,000
the “maximum weight” complaints were made in
for safe take-offs. England and Wales by
households last year.
Ofwat already has the
power to block cash paid
to shareholders and
impose fines. Chief David
Black said: “We are
putting water companies
on notice to improve
customer service.”

PUPPY LOVE
Four in ten tell their
dog they love them more
than their partner and
Pilot scheme . . . national carrier Finnair one in ten kiss their pets
on the lips, a poll found.
26 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
TOLD HE WOULD NEVER WALK OR
Scourge . . road crater
Potholes
a misery
for Manc
motorists
By RICHARD MORIARTY
MANCHESTER has the
worst record for fixing
potholes across England,
Scotland and Wales,
figures show.
Just 709 of the 3,697
reported in the city have
been mended — a rate of
only 19 per cent.
Edinburgh is almost as
bad, mending only 22 per
cent of its 5,538 holes.
Next is Birmingham,
Glasgow and Swansea,
fixing 24 per cent.
Smaller cities did best
with Bath coming top by
repairing 97 per cent of
719 potholes and Peter-
borough second with 94
per cent of 2,242 fixed.
Specialists at Smart-
Survey collated data on
potholes reported in 68
cities since 2007 on the
FixMyStreet.com site.
Boss Mo Naser said:
“You could argue that
bigger cities have more
issues to attend to, but
they also have bigger
budgets and more staff to
deal with them.”
Find . . penny in hoard
‘Battle of
Hastings’
coins up
for £180k
By DANIEL HAMMOND
RARE coins thought to
have been buried in 1066
— the year of the Battle of
Hastings — are expected
to sell for £180,000.
The 122 Anglo-Saxon
pennies were in a hoard
of 144 — worth 12 shillings
950 years ago — found in
an Essex field by two
metal detectorists in 2019
and 2020.
One silver coin was
detected only 4in deep.
Auctioneer Bradley
Hopper said their owner
might have died in battle.
He added: “Twelve shil-
lings was a considerable
sum. Its retrieval must’ve
been prevented by some
great personal misfortune.
“We can’t say with cer-
tainty the hoard’s owner
died at Hastings — but it’s
a tantalising possibility.”
Museums bought 16 of
the coins found near
Braintree. And 122 others
— including a Harold II
penny — go under the
hammer in London next
week. Profits go to the
finders and field owner.
EXCLUSIVE by
MIKE RIDLEY
SURPRISE . . . funny
talks to Unexpec
Star Alfie on the s
HE’S the disabled lad with
a voice to melt the coldest
of hearts.
Alfie
audience
Draper
in
left
tears
a
after
BBC
his
touching performance as the
Unexpected Star on Michael
McIntyre’s Big Show.
The 25-year-old, who was born
with cerebral palsy and was told he SPOOF . . . Alfie
would never walk or talk, is now and video game
being feted by internationally with TV joker
acclaimed tenor Alfie Boe. Michael
But the millions who watched
fearless Alfie’s powerful rendition of
Born Free on TV last month were
not told the full heart-warming story
of his incredible journey that led to
the West End. It begins in October
1998, when Ernie and Lulu Draper
were told their baby — the youngest
of eight children — would never walk
and might not even speak.
Alfie defied the odds, chatting
constantly before he was a year old
then finally taking his first faltering
steps at the age of six.
He constantly fell over so farm
worker Ernie would regularly take ‘At school
him to the beach where he would
not hurt himself toppling on to the they told me
soft sand.
At school Alfie was told he would
that because of my
not need to learn to read and write.
But the youngster had a dream —
disability I should be
to be a singer.
He recalls one teacher telling him
grateful for any job
there was more chance of her going
into space than Alfie ever having a
and not have a dream
career in music.
She said the only job he was ever
...but I decided that
likely to have would be a cleaner.
Alfie, from West Malling, Kent,
I WAS going to
be a star’
A
says: “Their attitude was that because
of my disability I should be grateful
for any job and not have a dream.
“Ignoring them, I left school and IN TUNE . . .
decided I WAS going to be in the Alfie with vocal
music industry. I wanted to be a star, coach Dr Voice
like my hero Sam Smith.”
‘The song freed him
– it made me cry’
So Alfie’s mum, Lulu, tracked down
Sam Smith’s former singing coach,
A
Anthony Wade — known in the
music industry as Dr Voice — and
persuaded him to take on her then
14-year-old son.
The Doc says: “This is like a Rocky
story, breaking through when all the
odds are against you.
“And all the odds were definitely
against Alfie but he made a decision
— ‘I am not going to be a cerebral
palsy sufferer for all my life.
“I’m going to follow a dream. I
have a voice’.
“When he first came to me, Alfie
wore splints on his legs because
doctors had told him he would never
walk without them.
“After help from a specialist, he
threw them away and now walks
normally.
“I realised instantly that despite his
disability he had a voice that could
one day be incredible.
“Just like I’d believed
in Sam Smith, I believed
in Alfie.”
For 11 years the pair
worked together on that
voice, with Alfie often
practising for up to five
hours a day to strengthen
the muscles of his larynx,
which had been weakened
by his condition.
Alfie sang Born Free in a sound- permission but his blessing for Alfie says:
Dr Voice reveals: “He is proof studio in East London. to perform the song, made famous as open
one of the most dedicated OH BOY . . . Alfie
pupils I have ever had — he
Immediately, something special the title track of the 1966 movie. “I
with mum Lulu happened. Alfie had finally found The McIntyre show team convinced watc
does what I ask and he and dad Ernie
his true voice. Chelsea fan Alfie that he was going some
works his butt off. The Doc says: “I was in tears and to take part in a video gaming event “In
“He was knocked down all
behind the glass I could see Alfie centred on football. not
his childhood because of his was crying, too. During the spoof, he met his beca
disability. You imagine going
“I said to Alf, ‘This is your story. football idol, Frank Lampard, initially work
around in his body and kids You are born free, away from cerebral “controlling” the robotic-acting football some
taking the mickey out of you. dreams, which included singing on palsy for the first time in your life’. star to shoot into the net. Then, when Af
“He has had to confront all of that national TV and appearing on “The song freed him — it made me Alfie scored a goal on his game he w
so he has got hardened and strong This Morning. cry.” At that moment he knew Alfie console, the wall in front of him fell his s
with a positive mental attitude.” Dr Voice, 70, adds: “I get all my was ready for a big audience and put down to reveal he was actually on neve
Using school books from a young pupils to do vision boards. Sam him forward for the Unexpected Star stage in London’s Theatre Royal Drury Hi
offenders’ institution, Dr Voice taught Smith had a picture of Beyonce on section on McIntyre’s hit Saturday Lane, where the show is filmed. natio
Alfie to read and write, because “one his board and four years later he was night show. With the BBC orchestra man
day you will need to sign autographs”. singing with her in New York’s When producers picked Alfie, Dr accompanying him, Alfie stunned the were
And five years ago on a “vision Madison Square Garden.” Late last Voice approached Born Free lyric audience of nearly six million TV “S
board” Alfie spelled out his future year Dr Voice sat at his keyboard as writer Don Black, who not only gave viewers with his amazing voice. Alfie my w

R TALK...NOW HE’S WOWING TV VIEWERS
yman
cted
show
Alfie Draper:
An unexpected
star is born
: “I loved it. I’ve done busking,
n mics and all sorts of things.
feel like if people are not
ching me then I must be doing
ething wrong.
n front of a big audience I was
really nervous. I was excited
ause I know I am here because I
ked hard and because I am doing
ething good.”
fter Alfie took his bow on stage,
was swamped with messages on
social media and Dr Voice’s phone
er stopped ringing.
is mentor says: “He captured the
on’s heart. I can’t tell you how
ny people have rung me. People
e moved by him.
So many said, ‘I was sitting with
wife and kids and we were all in
tears watching Alfie sing’ because
they couldn’t believe what came out
of him when he opened his mouth for
the first time.”
Alfie adds: “I had a message from
the carer of a boy with cerebral palsy.
‘It made me
quite emotional’
“He couldn’t speak and he is really
struggling. She said she played him
Born Free and started to see him
speak and trying to sing and it
is just unbelievable what music
can do. It made me quite emotional
when I saw it.”
He has even had messages from
disabled people who had stepped
back from taking their own life after
NEW VOICE . . . Alfie
belts out Born Free on
the Theatre Royal stage
HE’S SOUND . . . singing
sensation Alfie has defied the
odds since birth 25 years ago
Pictures: ARTHUR EDWARDS
hearing Alfie belting out Born Free.
And actor and singer Alfie Boe, 50,
posted a video on his Instagram of
his namesake’s TV performance.
Delighted Alfie recalls: “He said,
‘From one Alfie to another, you
have done an amazing job. Well
done, mate’.
“I messaged him and thanked him
very much. And then he said, ‘I
would like to meet you one day’.”
Now Alfie Boe has invited the
aspiring star to sing a duet with him
during his tour this summer, possibly
at Eastbourne in June.
Alfie is rehearsing the song
Somewhere from West Side Story to
sing alongside his hero.
Boe’s 13-date national tour comes
two years after the star bravely
‘Alfie is
one of the most
dedicated pupils I’ve
had, he works his butt
off. He was knocked
down all his life so he
is hardened, strong,
with a positive
attitude’
with team captain
revealed he went to “a really dark
place” after he and his wife of 18
years, Sarah, split in August 2020.
Dr Voice added: “It is lovely that
Alfie Boe has seen the magic in Alfie.
“He also had a time in his life
when he was going through things
and then he could recognise the spirit
of what Alfie is doing.”
Three days after Alfie’s dream TV
performance, another of his ambitions
came true.
He was back on telly on ITV’s This
Morning, and on the way home a fan
asked for his autograph. Alfie signed
his name with a flourish.
Now he has one more dream — to
make a record of Born Free to bring
hope and joy to the world.
But, according to his mentor, the
Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 27
IDOL . . . meeting
his Chelsea hero
Frank as a boy
TRUE BLUE . . .
Reece James
record industry is not interested in a
disabled singer with the voice of an
angel and courage of a lion.
Dr Voice says: “Alfie isn’t in it for
the money — he is into touching
hearts and maybe changing lives.
“A management company was really
hot to trot when they saw him on
McIntyre. It made them all cry.
“Two days later they backtracked
and dropped him. Record labels
haven’t picked him up because
he doesn’t have millions of followers
and they can’t make money from him.
“It is sad because touching hearts is
more important than making money.”
l Check out our exclusive video at
thesun.co.uk where you can see Alfie’s
incredible journey with Dr Voice to
performing Born Free.
28 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024

Monday 4-PAGE
SECTION TV GUIDE

6am Breakfast (S) 6.45 am Bargain Hunt (R,S) 6am Good Morning Britain 6.10 am Countdown (R,S) 6am Milkshake! Freeview: 237 Freesat: 217
9.30 Morning Live (S) 7.30 David & Jay’s Touring News, current affairs and 6.50 Cheers (R,S) 9.15 Jeremy Vine (S) Sky: 522 Virgin: 606
10.45 Dr Xand’s Con Or Cure Toolshed (R,S) lifestyle features. (S) 7.40 3rd Rock From The Sun 11.15 Storm Huntley (S) 6am Talk Today With
The team examines 8.00 Sign Zone: 9.00 Lorraine Entertainment Double bill. (R,S) 12.45 Alexis Conran & Jeremy Kyle And
whether eye Attenborough And The and fashion news. (S) 8.30 Everybody Loves Friends The important Rosie Wright
supplements work. (S) Giant Sea Monster 10.00 This Morning Celebrity Raymond (R,S) stories of the day. (S) 9.30 Kevin & Alex
11.15 Homes Under The The discovery of chat and lifestyle 10.00 Frasier (R,S) 1.40 5 News (S) 10.00 Jake Berry
Hammer (R,S) the skull of a giant features. (S) 11.00 The Great House 1.45 Home And Away Eden 1.00 CrossTalk With Kevin
12.15 Bargain Hunt Natasha pliosaur. (R,S,SL) 12.30 Loose Women Celebrity Giveaway (R,S) learns her brother is in O’Sullivan And Alex
Raskin Sharp presents 9.00 BBC News (S) interviews and studio 12.00 C4 News (S) Summer Bay. (R,S) Phillips We confront
an art-themed special 12.30 Political Thinking With discussion from a 12.05 Sun, Sea And Selling 2.15 My Secret Stalker the day’s biggest news
from Edinburgh. (S) Nick Robinson (R,S) female perspective. (S) Houses Sharon and Thriller starring Andrea with analysis, fierce
1.00 BBC News (S) 1.00 Impossible (R,S) 1.30 ITV News (S) Shaun help a couple FILM Bowen and Gib Gerard. debate and feisty
1.30 Regional News (S) 1.45 The Tournament (R,S) 1.55 Regional News (S) find a countryside villa (2022) ✪✪✪ (S) humour.
1.45 Doctors (S) 2.30 The Farmers’ Country 2.00 Jimmy’s Taste Of with a pool. (R,S) 4.00 Bargain-Loving Brits In 3.00 Ian Collins The host
2.15 Clean It, Fix It The Showdown (R,S) Florida Jimmy Doherty 1.05 Find It, Fix It, Flog It The Sun Cameras follow cuts through the echo-
team is in north London 3.15 The Great British NEW embarks on a culinary Henry Cole and Simon a Hull shoe salesman- chamber with hard-
NEW to help Kevin sort his Sewing Bee Music tour of the Sunshine O’Brien make an turned Costa Del Sol hitting monologues,
cluttered flat. (S) week brings a pattern State, starting in extraordinary find from horse-whisperer. (R,S) stimulating debates
3.00 Escape To The Country for a parka once loved Pensacola. (S) a Dutch designer. (R,S) 5.00 5 News At 5 (S) and dedicated time for
Jules Hudson helps a by the Mods. (R,S) 3.00 Lingo Quiz hosted by 2.10 Countdown (S) 6.00 Susan Calman’s Grand your calls.
couple to find a new 4.15 New Zealand: Earth’s Adil Ray. (R,S) Followed 3.00 A Place In The Sun Day Out In The 4.00 Vanessa Feltz
home in the Mythical Islands (R,S) by Local Weather Southern Spain. (R,S) Highlands Susan and Big names, exclusive
Cairngorms. (S) 5.15 Flog It! (R,S) 4.00 Tipping Point Quiz 4.00 A New Life In The Sun her campervan arrive on interviews, and
3.45 The Repair Shop (R,S) 6.00 Richard Osman’s hosted by Ben In Portugal, Lancashire home turf, touring the viewers’ thoughts
4.30 Antiques Road Trip House Of Games (S) Shephard. (S) entrepreneur Lloyd breath-taking southern on what has got the
Treasure hunting 6.30 Rick Stein’s Food 5.00 The Chase Quiz show takes on a colossal Highlands of Scotland nation talking.
in Kent. (R,S) Stories The chef hosted by Bradley challenge. (S) on a 140-mile trek from 6.00 The Talk A panel of
5.15 Pointless (R,S) NEW celebrates British Walsh. (S) 5.00 Château DIY (S) Glasgow to Aberfoyle. famous faces debate
6.00 BBC News (S) food, beginning in the 6.00 Regional News (S) 6.00 Come Dine With Me (S) (R,S) Followed by the topics everybody’s
6.30 Regional News (S) Lake District. (S) 6.30 ITV News (S) 6.30 The Simpsons (R,S) 5 News Update talking about.

9pm Emilia Fox has a case to 6.30pm The chef cooks with his 9pm Adam’s story is told in 8pm George Clarke with John 9pm PC Phil Mercer features in 6am Jeremy Kyle joins Rosie
solve in Silent Witness son in Rick Stein’s Food Stories Born From The Same Stranger Barr in Adventures In Americana Police: Suspect No 1 Wright on Talk Today
7.00 The One Show 7.00 SOS: Extreme Rescues 7.30 Emmerdale 7.00 C4 News (S) 7.00 Police Interceptors 7.00 Prime Time With
Presented by Alex Jones (5/12) A day trip turns An exhausted Dawn 8.00 George Clarke’s (1/20) The firearms unit Rosanna Lockwood
and Jermaine Jenas. (S) into a nightmare for a juggles the needs of Adventures In tackles reports of an LIVE The broadcaster brings
7.30 EastEnders Londoner lost on Tryfan three children, Tom is Americana illegal gun. (R,S) Followed a wealth of journalistic
George gets a huge with no phone signal. (S) upset that Belle doesn’t (4/4) Exploring the by 5 News Update experience to get
shock when he visits his 7.30 Mastermind want to take his towns and landscapes 8.00 Traffic Cops inside the stories
parents’ house. (S) (24/30) Specialist surname, and Wendy of New Jersey and Offices go in pursuit of a of the day.
8.00 Alzheimer’s: A Turning subjects include the detects a spark. (S) Connecticut. (S) banned drink-driver who 8.00 The Independent
Point? – Panorama Chemical Brothers. (S) 8.00 Coronation Street 9.00 To Catch A Copper collides with a passing Republic Of Mike
Fergus Walsh reports on 8.00 Only Connect: Love Nick gets to the bottom (3/3) The final car before taking off LIVE Graham
a new treatment for Special of Leanne and Simon’s episode focuses on again only to crash into A full-throttle run
Alzheimer’s. (S) (3/4) The Part-Time cover-up, Bethany investigations into someone’s garden after through the day’s
8.30 Scam Interceptors Poets take on the attempts to bury the allegations of sexual a further chase. (S) breaking news with
Rav Wilding and Jim Romantics. (R,S) hatchet with Daisy, and misconduct made 9.00 Police: Suspect No 1 the King of Common
Browning take on a giant 8.30 University Challenge Bobby is shocked to against police officers, (6/6) Detectives arrest Sense, plus calls and
scam call centre. (R,S) (29/37) Manchester learn the truth about his sometimes on their own the person they think is special guests.
9.00 Silent Witness takes on Imperial father’s crime. (S) colleagues. (S) leading a drugs gang, 10.00 The Talk
(9/10) Part one of two. College London. (S) 9.00 Born From The Same 10.00 Night Coppers but the suspect claims A panel of famous faces
Eight bodies are found 9.00 The Space Shuttle That Stranger (1/8) On the beat with to have been coerced debate the hot topics
entombed beneath Fell To Earth (4/4) Davina McCall the police officers of into running the everybody’s talking
Kings Cross station. (S) NEW (1/3) The story of the narrates a look at Brighton after dark. (R,S) operation. (S) about. (R)
10.00 BBC News (S) Columbia disaster in the impact that 11.05 24 Hours In A&E 10.00 Casualty 24/7: Every 11.00 Prime Time With
10.30 Regional News (S) 2003, with astronauts’ donor-conceived people A 95-year-old woman Second Counts Rosanna Lockwood
10.40 Have I Got News For families and Nasa staff searching for their may have sustained (6/10) Lead nurse Rosanna Lockwood
You sharing stories of the genetic identity has life-changing injuries Hannah faces an extra brings a wealth of
(5/11) Roisin Conaty launch, the unfolding on the parents who in a fall. (R,S) challenge when there journalistic experience to
and Andy Hamilton join catastrophe and the raised them. (S) 12.05 The Secret World Of is a shortage of the get inside the stories of
team captains Ian Hislop fall-out. (S) 10.00 ITV News At Ten (S) Fight Clubs: Untold (S) porters. (R,S) the day with expert
and Paul Merton. (R,S) 10.00 Our Flag Means Death 10.30 Regional News (S) 12.40 Ramsay’s Kitchen 11.05 999: Critical Condition analysis and lively
11.10 Domino Day (2/10) Blackbeard’s 10.45 Boris Becker: The Rise Nightmares USA (R,S,SL) (7/8) A woman with an debate. (R)
(2/6) Domino meets a crew take drastic And Fall 1.30 Couples Come Dine aneurysm. (R,S) 12.00 Petrie Hosken 1.00
local coven and learns measures. (S) (1/2) How the With Me (R,S,SL) 2.20 12.05 Traffic Cops (R,S) 1.00 CrossTalk With Kevin
the dark truth about 10.30 Newsnight Wimbledon champion Undercover Boss USA PlayOJO Live Casino O’Sullivan And Alex
who she is. (R,S) (S) Followed by Weather ended up in prison. (R,S) (R,S) 3.10 The Miners’ Show (S) 3.00 Britain’s Phillips (R) 3.00 Prime
11.50 The Graham Norton 11.15 PS I Love You 11.45 English Football Strike 1984: The Battle Favourite Songs: 1995 Time With Rosanna
Show Romantic drama starring League Highlights For Britain (R,S,SL) 4.00 (R,S) 4.40 Portillo’s Lockwood (R) 4.00
(17/21) With guests FILM Hilary Swank. (2007) Recent action. (R,S) Grand Designs (R,S) Empire Journey (R,S) The Talk (R) 5.00-6am
including Ian McKellen, ✪✪✪✪ (S) 12.55 Shop On TV 3.00 Martin 4.55 Kirstie And Phil’s 5.05 Nick’s Quest James Max
Michael Sheen and Josh 1.15 Sign Zone: Countryfile Clunes: Islands Of The Love It Or List It (R,S,SL) 5.30
Widdicombe. (R,S) (R,S,SL) 2.10 Garden Pacific (R,S,SL) 3.50 (R,S,SL) 5.45-6.10am Entertainment News On Watch live on all major
Followed by Weather For Rescue (R,S,SL) Unwind With ITV (S) Supermarkets 5 (S) 5.35 Fireman Sam social media platforms,
The Week Ahead 2.55-3.40am Animal 5.05-6am Jimmy’s Taste Unwrapped: The Vegan (R,S,SL) 5.45-6am Paw the Talk.TV website
12.50 -6am BBC News (S) Park (R,S,SL) Of Florida (R,S,SL) Aisle (R,S) Patrol (R,S,SL) or the TalkTV app

6am Cyw 12.00 Newyddion S4C 12.05 Ffasiwn Drefn 12.30 Heno Aur 1.00 Caeau Cymru 1.30 Dan Do 2.00 Rescues 8.00 Wynne’s Welsh 80s 8.30-9.00 Weatherman Walking 10.40 Alzheimer’s: A Turning Point?: Panorama 11.10 Have I Got News For You
REGIONAL VARIATIONS S4C: Newyddion S4C 2.05 Prynhawn Da 3.00 Newyddion S4C 3.05 Stryd I’r Sgrym 3.50 Bwyd Epic Chris 4.00 11.40 Domino Day 12.25am The Graham Norton Show 1.15-6am BBC News BBC TWO WALES: 10am LIVE Snooker: The Welsh Open 4.30pm The Farmers’
Awr Fawr 5.00 Stwnsh 6.00 Cegin Bryn 6.30 Rownd A Rownd 6.57 Newyddion S4C 7.00 Heno 7.30 Newyddion S4C 8.00 Y Byd Ar Bedwar 8.25 Y Country Showdown 5.15 Political Thinking With Nick Robinson 5.45-6.00 Flog It! 7.00 The One Show 7.30-8.30 LIVE Snooker: The Welsh Open 11.15
Fets 8.55 Newyddion S4C 9.00 Cefn Gwlad 9.30 Sgorio 10.00 Gwesty Aduniad 11.00-11.35pm Ar Werth BBC ONE WALES: 7.00-7.30pm SOS: Extreme Snooker: The Welsh Open 12midnight Wilderness With Simon Reeve 1.00-1.15am The Super Squirrels
FILMS ✪✪✪✪✪ Brilliant ✪✪✪✪ Very Good ✪✪✪ Good ✪✪ Not Bad ✪ Poor (R) Repeat (S) Subtitles (SL) Sign Language
 29

tv biz
Monday, February 12, 2024 ...............

By ROD
McPHEE
TV Editor
My team:
FELICITY CROSS
and JESS LESTER
Email:
rod.mcphee
@the-sun.co.uk

UNMASKED . . . pop star Tiffany STEVE’S

TIFFANY’S HOT SHOT . . . SNAPPER
CROC-ED
Peter as Cormac

NERVES
and, left, with rest
of the cast

SO EIFFEL
RUN-INS with ferocious
beasts is all in a day’s work
for STEVE BACKSHALL, but
he admits one encounter left
EIGHTIES pop icon TIFFANY his knees trembling.
has revealed that being Eiffel As he returns to TV next
Tower on The Masked Singer Monday with new Channel 5
was even scarier than making show Killer Crocs, he told
her pop debut at the age of 15. how one reptile tried to eat
She likened her nervous- his cameraman, Johnny.
ness on the ITV show to when Steve said: “ This was one
she became an overnight of the only times when I’ve
sensation in 1987 with No1 hit I been really frightened. We’d

ALAN GETS
Think We’re Alone Now. been diving
The US singer said: “It did and had
make me feel like that! encountered
“Sometimes in my own shows dozens of

ON BOARD
I still get butterflies. That’s crocodiles,
never gone away because you all of which
want to always be your best. had ignored
“I’m a very physical singer, us. Then a

FOR WRECK
so not being able to do that male
was challenging.” crocodile
Now she is up for more about four-
reality TV as it is a way to and-a-half
connect with new fans. FEAR . . . Steve metres long
The Greatest Showman star came straight for us.
KEALA SETTLE was also “He came right between
unmasked as Air Fryer, which NEIGHBOURS icon ALAN GRAHAM reprising their roles. Johnny and me, hitting the
she claimed was like wearing DALE is the big star signing for The comedy horror series bottom and sending up a big
“a coffin”. the second series of BBC returns after its successful cloud of sand.
The US crooner said: “You Three drama, Wreck. debut in 2022 which saw a “So I knew the croc and
battle your own demons The actor – who famously killer wearing a duck costume Johnny were in there – that
inside that costume.” played Jim Robinson in the hit target the crew of cruise ship was a gut-wrenching
Aussie soap – will be joining the Sacramentum. moment where I thought he’d
the cast alongside hunky actor After the show’s adventures been eaten in front of me.
efuls
AS new hoptain’s BUCK BRAITHWAITE, with on the high seas, the second “I don’t know how, but
audition for Bri ner PETER CLAFFEY, ALICE season is back on terra firma Johnny managed to get a
win
Got Talent, 2020Y is proof NOAKES and THADDEA and sees the central heroes shot of the croc. To see it
JON COURTENA , as this visit an exclusive “wellness” pass between the two of us
the format works a tour. festival for millionaires in the at the bottom of this eerie
week, he begins Regent remote countryside of swamp was chilling.”
Kicking off at the church, Slovenia.
Theatre in Christday, the There, they hope to find EVE GALE got a
Dorset on Saturwill play more answers as to what ous case of seri-
musical comic e through was behind the killing spree on Love Island deja vu
dates nationwid and April. that reached a bloody con- after being dumpAll Stars
February, March clusion in series one. the villa prema ed from
I bet Alan never saw this leaving her twi turely –
kind of drama on Ramsay GALE behind. It n JESS

AISLING’S SCREAM TEAM . . .

Alice as Sophia. Right,
Street. pened during also hap-
stint on ITV ’s dattheir first
in 2020. Eve was ing show
GIVEN UP
star signing Alan
ousted alongsid this time

Questions
O’GORMAN. e CASEY

ON SHOW JASON MANFORD is

AISLING BEA says she has no
plans for any more episodes
serving up a teatime
treat – with a brand HELEN’S
of her drama This Way Up –
because the dark comedy
takes too much of a toll.
new game show.
I can reveal the funnyman LOOK TO
DYE FOR
is hosting BBC One’s latest
The actress, who is also an

Manswers
quiz series, The Answer

&
executive producer on the Run, which he has “high
Channel 4 series, said: “I hopes” of being a hit.
enjoyed the filming process It replaces his previous HELEN GEORGE sports bright
but found it incredibly show, Unbeatable, and will blonde hair as Call The
emotionally demanding and see contestants battle it Midwife’s Nurse Trixie but the
challenging. out to win a big prize eyecatching look has come at
“I think two by accumulating a a cost – to her locks.
series is my succession of correct The actress – currently
limit.” answers from 50/50 treading the boards in The
Starring questions. King And I at London’s
alongside Jason told me: “I’m Dominion Theatre – has now
SHARON chuffed to bits to be gone brunette
back on BBC day- and revealed

JASON’S NEW DAYTIME QUIZ

HORGAN,
Aisling played time again with the BBC
The Answer period drama
Aine, a young Run.
Irish woman is to blame.
“I really feel Speaking on
juggling work like this is split-second mat includes categories with tickets available at
TOLL . . . Bea as a teacher in decisions. ranging from Beyonce or jasonmanford.com — is a Virgin Radio,
going to be she said: “To
London with her recovery one of those “But I Barbie to Neptune or Mars, huge fan of daytime TV and
from a nervous breakdown. promise football or basketball and says particular shows achieve the
addictive TV
She’s on to a cheerier quiz shows we’ll have everything in between. become part of viewers’ right colour
project now, though, and where you’re a laugh Hopefuls will compete in routines. for the
appears with ANDREA sat at home too.” pairs, with eliminations until He explains: “It’s a market character
DARK . . . star [Trixie], my
RISEBOROUGH and shouting at Jason is one duo remains. of people who are under-
IT’S BIG set to film hair had to be bleached
DOMHNALL GLEESON in represented — the audience
Channel 4’s new romantic
the
because
telly
you ASK . . .
presenter
25 episodes, Take home cash who watch telly during the so much that it was just
drama Alice & Jack, which reckon you which will be 45 They will then have the day. snapping off.
begins on Wednesday. could’ve done Manford minutes long, in chance to face The Answer “They still need entertain- “I was like some little bald
better. Glasgow next Run one final time and ing, and often you almost parrot and that is not the
“It’s fast- month. attempt to take home cash become part of their day hottest look.”
More listings: paced, full of
jeopardy and
And viewers
will get to see
they have banked during the
episode.
and routine, so I think it’s
really important.”
I’m sure her Call The
Midwife co-star and rumoured
Pages 30 & 31 requires con-
testants to be
them later this
year.
Jason — whose stand-up
tour, A Manford All Sea-
I’m sure his new show
will go down well with a
new beau OLLY RIX would
disagree.
able to make The new for- sons, begins in November, cuppa.
30 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
Monday
FREEVIEW
BBC THREE freeview 23
7pm Gladiators; The Catch Up 8.00 Ghosts US
8.45 Jobless 9.00 The Apprentice. Lord Sugar’s
candidates host a corporate away day in the
Scottish Highlands. 11.00 RuPaul’s Drag Race:
UK Versus The World 12.20 Dreaming Whilst
Black 1.10-2.10am Fresh Cops
BBC FOUR freeview 9
7pm Dynasties 8.00 Art Of Persia 9.00
Britain’s Lost Masterpieces 10.00 8 Days: To
The Moon And Back 11.30 Stargazing: Moon
Landing Special 1.00-2am Dynasties
ITV2 freeview 6
6am CITV: Craig Of The Creek 6.15 DC Super
Hero Girls 6.25 Teen Titans Go! 6.50 Looney
Tunes Cartoons 7.05 Scooby-Doo! Mystery
Incorporated 7.30 FILM Scooby-Doo!
Wrestlemania Mystery. Animated family comedy
featuring the voices of Matthew Lillard and Mary
McCormack. (2014) 9.00 Chuck 10.00 One
Tree Hill 12.00 Secret Crush 1.00 Dress To
Impress 2.00 Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshow 3.00
One Tree Hill 5.00 Dress To Impress 6.00
Celebrity Catchphrase 7.00 Deal Or No Deal
Coronation Street Special 8.00 Superstore 9.00
Love Island: All Stars 10.05 Family Guy 11.35
American Dad! 12.30 Superstore 1.30-2.35am
Olivia Attwood: Getting Filthy Rich
ITV3 freeview 10
6am Classic Emmerdale 7.00 Classic
Coronation Street 8.05 Where The Heart Is
10.15 Poirot 11.30 The Royal 12.35 Heartbeat
1.40 Classic Emmerdale 2.40 Classic
Coronation Street 3.40 Coronation Street:
Memorable Moments 4.15 Poirot 5.20 Downton
Abbey 7.00 Heartbeat 8.00 Vera. A surgeon is
murdered and his two daughters are abducted.
10.00 Trial & Retribution. Conclusion of the
two-part crime drama. 11.55 The Royal
12.45-2.30am Where The Heart Is
ITV4 freeview 26
6am The Best Of The 80s 6.10 Minder 7.15 The
Professionals 8.20 The Saint 9.20 The Return
Of Sherlock Holmes 10.30 Magnum, PI 11.35
The Saint 12.35 The Return Of Sherlock Holmes
1.40 Kojak 2.50 Magnum, PI 3.50 Minder
4.55 The Professionals 6.00 BattleBots 7.00
The Chase Celebrity Special 9.00 FILM Speed
2: Cruise Control. Action thriller sequel starring 7.10am Extreme Heights Repair Team 8.00
Sandra Bullock. (1997) 11.30 From Dusk Till
Dawn 12.35 BattleBots 1.35-2am Auto Mundial 12.00 Storage Hunters UK 2.00 Extreme
E4 freeview 13
6am Hollyoaks 7.00 Ramsay’s Kitchen
Nightmares USA 9.00 Brooklyn Nine-Nine
10.00 Young Sheldon 11.00 Modern Family
12.00 The Big Bang Theory 2.00 Brooklyn
Nine-Nine 3.00 Modern Family 4.00 Young
Sheldon 5.00 The Big Bang Theory 7.00
Hollyoaks 7.30 Modern Family 8.00 Below Deck 12.00 Release The Hounds 1.00 Would I Lie To
Down Under 9.00 Celebrity Gogglebox 10.00
Gogglebox 11.05 First Dates 12.10 The Big
Bang Theory 1.10-2.10am Brooklyn Nine-Nine
MORE4 freeview 18
8.55am A Place In The Sun 10.25 A New Life Casualty 11.40 The Bill 12.40 Classic
In The Sun 11.25 Find It, Fix It, Flog It 12.30
Come Dine With Me 3.10 Four In A Bed 5.50
Heir Hunters 6.55 The Dog House 7.55 Grand
Designs 9.00 Car S.O.S 10.00 Top Guns:
Inside The RAF 11.05 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does
Countdown 12.05 Emergency Helicopter Medics body are discovered near a public boarding
1.10-2.15am Top Guns: Inside The RAF
ENTERTAINMENT
Sky Showcase 9pm Kali Reis stars in
True Detective: Night Country
SKY SHOWCASE
6am Sky News Breakfast 7.00 Kay Burley
8.00 Caught On Dashcam 9.00 Nothing To
Declare 10.00 Strangest Things 11.00 New Kids Murphy must learn to work with Dr Jared Kalu
In The Wild 12.00 Supergirl 1.00 MacGyver
3.00 Hawaii Five-0 4.00 S.W.A.T 5.00 The
Simpsons 6.00 The US Office 7.00 The
Simpsons 7.50 David Attenborough’s First Life
9.00 True Detective: Night Country. As Prior 7am Hi-De-Hi! 8.00 Keeping Up Appearances
digs into the links between Tsalal and mining 8.40 My Hero 9.20 Hi-De-Hi! 10.00 Porridge
company Silver Sky, Navarro rescues Leah
from a local protest that has turned violent. Keeping Up Appearances 12.40 My Hero 1.20
10.20 Sex And The City 11.30 The Force:
North East 12.25 Brit Cops: War On Crime
1.20-2.40am True Detective: Night Country
DELIVERY . . . pregnant Shannon with Nanny Bingo and baby’s father
SKY MIX freeview 11
7am Border Security: Canada’s Front Line
8.00 Nothing To Declare 9.00 Motorway Patrol
10.00 UK Border Force 11.00 Highway Patrol
12.00 Motorway Patrol 1.00 Border Patrol
2.00 Border Security: Canada’s Front Line
3.00 Nothing To Declare 4.00 Stargate Atlantis
5.00 Stargate SG-1 6.00 Star Trek: Enterprise
7.00 Stargate Universe 8.00 Merlin 9.00
A League Of Their Own 10.00 Grimm 11.00
Killer In My Village 12.00 How I Caught The
Killer 1.00-2am Caribbean Cops
BBC Three 9pm Lord Sugar gets back to
buisness in The Apprentice
DAVE freeview 19
Cops On The Rock 10.00 Survivor Australia
Fishing With Robson Green 3.00 Top Gear
5.00 Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey 6.00
The Hairy Bikers: Mums Know Best. Recipes
passed down through generations. 7.00 Richard
Osman’s House Of Games. With Rachel Riley,
JB Gill, Katie Derham and Richard Herring. 8.20
Would I Lie To You? 9.00 Have I Got A Bit More
News For You 10.00 QI XL 11.00 Taskmaster
You? 1.40-2.10am Schitt’s Creek
DRAMA freeview 20
7.10am All Creatures Great And Small 8.00
Doctors 9.20 Classic Holby City 10.40 Classic
EastEnders 2.00 Monarch Of The Glen 3.10
Kingdom 4.10 All Creatures Great And Small
5.20 Terry And June 6.00 As Time Goes By
6.40 Last Of The Summer Wine 8.00 The Last
Detective 9.35 New Tricks. The remains of a
school. 11.55 Spooks 1.10-2.25am Hustle
SKY ATLANTIC
6am The Guest Wing 7.55 The Sopranos
10.05 The Wire 12.25 Game Of Thrones
1.35 Gomorrah 2.40 The Sopranos 5.15 The
Wire 7.40 Game Of Thrones. Winter finally
arrives. 9.00 True Detective: Night Country.
Prior digs into the links between Tsalal and
mining company Silver Sky. 10.20 Mare Of
Easttown. Mare re-evaluates old suspects.
11.30 Perry Mason 12.35 The Outsider
1.40-2.50am I Know This Much Is True
SKY WITNESS
6am Bondi Rescue 7.00 Border Patrol 8.00
Caught On Dashcam 9.00 Stop, Search, Seize
10.00 Brit Cops: Law & Disorder 11.00 The
Rookie 12.00 FBI 1.00 FBI: Most Wanted 2.00
Blue Bloods 3.00 Caught Red Handed 4.30
Border Security: Australia’s Front Line 8.00 Blue
Bloods. Danny and Jamie clash. 9.00 Blue
Bloods. Jamie and Eddie experience marital
tension. 10.00 The Good Doctor. Dr Shaun
again. 11.00 The Rookie 12.00 FBI:
International 1.00-2am Chicago PD
GOLD
10.40 Last Of The Summer Wine 12.00
Porridge 2.00 Dad’s Army 2.40 The Thin Blue
Line 3.20 Hi-De-Hi! 4.00 Last Of The Summer
Wine 5.20 Porridge 6.00 Keeping Up
4-PAGE
SECTION
tv
last night
BIG BOYS
Channel 4
THE great sitcoms have you
both laughing and crying in
equal measure.
And in Channel 4’s Big Boys, didn’t make a third. The flashback scenes of four years
coming-of-age sitcom focuses earlier where, in the same
last night’s series two finale
proved why it deserves to be up on character Jack’s first years hospital, Jack’s barmy cousin
at university, where he’s Shannon is now giving birth to
there with the very best of
them. coming to terms with his her first child while the baby’s
It feels as though Jack sexuality and dealing with the father, her Asos delivery driver,
Rooke’s semi-biographical death of his father from cancer. is on a desperate mission to
comedy, in which he’s played The first issue has well and locate bundles of extra hot
truly been put to bed in series Peperamis to quicken up the
by Derry Girls star Dylan
Llewellyn, is still going under two (quite literally – he’s been process.
the mainstream radar. rampant), but the effects of his Seeing his stricken father
But like fellow Channel 4 dad’s passing are still being comforted by Jack’s
staple The Inbetweeners, Big prevalent, which comes to the gran, Nanny Bingo (Annette
Boys might just take a few fore in the finale. Badland), was wonderfully
series to really hit home – so it Viewers witness his taxi poignant, so witnessing those
would be a tragedy if its writer driver father’s final moments in heartfelt moments
REALLY freeview 17
6am Fantasy Homes By The Sea 7.00
SPORT from Selhurst Park. 11.00 Gary Neville’s
Soccerbox 12.00 MNF Hlts 12.30 Premier
Teleshopping 8.00 Salvage Hunters 10.00 The League Icons 1.00-3am PL Years
Great Antiques Challenge 11.00 Antiques Road SKY SPORTS FOOTBALL
Trip 12.00 The Repair Shop 1.00 Long Lost 6am EFL 9.00 AFCON 9.30 EFL Greatest
Family US 2.00 My 600lb Life 4.00 Animal Games 10.00 AFCON 12.00 EFL 2.00 EFL
Cops Philadelphia 5.00 Ambulance 6.00 The Highlights 3.30 EFL Goals: Leagues 1 & 2
Great Antiques Challenge 7.00 Antiques Road 4.00 AFCON 6.30 Bundesliga Highlights
Trip 9.00 The Yorkshire Auction House 10.00 Show 7.30 AFCON 9.30 EFL Highlights 11.00
The Repair Shop 11.00 Ghost Adventures 12.00 Bundesliga Highlights Show 12.00 EFL
Spooked Ireland 1.00-2am Ghost Adventures
Greatest Games 1.00-2am Championship
YESTERDAY freeview 27 Season Review
6.10am Fred Dibnah’s Made In Britain 7.10 SKY SPORTS NFL
Underground Worlds 8.00 Abandoned Sky Sports Main Event 6.30pm Cole 6am NFL: America’s Game 7.00 Super Bowl
Engineering 10.00 War Factories 11.00 Narrow
Escapes Of World War II 12.00 Great American Palmer and Chelsea take on Crystal Palace LVIII Highlights 8.00 NFL Highlights 10.00
Super Bowl LVIII Highlights 11.00 NFL
Railroad Journeys 1.00 Antiques Roadshow
2.00 Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics 4.00 SKY SPORTS MAIN EVENT Highlights 12.00 Good Morning Football 3.00
6am Sky Sports News 7.00 Super Bowl LVIII Super Bowl LVIII Highlights 4.00 NFL Bitesize
War Factories 5.00 Narrow Escapes Of World Highlights 4.30 Super Bowl LVIII Bitesize 4.45
War II 6.00 Antiques Roadshow 7.00 Great Highlights 8.00 Good Morning Sports Fans
British Railway Journeys 8.00 Secrets Of The 10.00 Super Bowl LVIII Highlights 11.00 LIVE Super Bowl LVII Bitesize 5.00 Super Bowl LVIII
London Underground 10.00 Bangers & Cash: Tennis. The Qatar TotalEnergies Open. Highlights 6.00 NBC’s Pro-Football Talk 8.00
Restoring Classics 11.00 Abandoned Coverage of day two of the WTA 1000 event, a Super Bowl LVIII 12.00 Total Access 1.00-
Engineering 12.00 Great British Railway hard court tournament that takes place at 2am Super Bowl LVIII Highlights
Journeys 1.00-2am Underground Worlds Khalifa International Tennis and Squash SKY SPORTS ARENA
Complex in Doha, Qatar. The top four seeded
W freeview 25 6am Premier League Darts 10.00 Betfred
players receive an automatic bye to the second Super League Highlights 10.15 Rugby League
6.10am James Martin’s Food Map Of Britain round, but the players ranked five to eight will
7.00 My Kitchen Rules South Africa 8.00 Retro 12.30 British Basketball 3.00 Premier
be in action and hoping to follow in the footsteps League Darts 8.30 James Roby: The Heart Of
Tipping Point 11.00 DIY SOS: The Big Build of Belinda Bencic, Maria Sakkari, Daria
1.00 Tipping Point 4.00 My Dream Home 6.00 A Saint 9.00 Fight Night International 11.00
Kasatkina, and Veronika Kudermetova, who all Fight Night 12.00-2am LIVE NCAA
MasterChef Australia 7.20 Nigella: At My Table. avoided falling at the first hurdle 12 months ago. Basketball. Duke Blue Devils v Wake Forest
Nigella Lawson rustles up some of her favourite 6.30 LIVE MNF. Crystal Palace v Chelsea.
dishes to share around the table. 8.00 DIY SOS: Demon Deacons. Tip-off at 12.00. Coverage of
Kick-off at 8.00. Coverage of the Premier the college match at Cameron Indoor Stadium
The Big Build. Creating a home dialysis centre for League match from Selhurst Park. The Eagles
a family in Barnstaple. 9.00 Katherine Ryan: in Durham, North Carolina.
looked to have earned a point in December’s
Parental Guidance. The comedian visits YouTube reverse fixture, but Noni Madueke’s 89th-minute SKY SPORTS CRICKET
sensations The Marsh Family. 10.00 Kathy penalty gave Chelsea a 2-1 win, and Palace 6am SA20 7.00 ICC Women’s World Cup 7.15
Burke’s All Woman 11.00 Louis Theroux: Behind
have found results hard to come by since then, ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 7.45 ICC
Bars 12.00 Katie Piper’s Jailhouse Mums while the Blues’ form has improved after a poor Women’s World Cup 8.00 SA20 9.00
1.00-2am One Born Every Minute
start to the season. 11pm-3am LIVE Tennis. Women’s Big Bash League 6.45 ICC Women’s
QUEST freeview 12 The Delray Beach Open. Day one of the ATP World Cup. West Indies v Australia. 7.00 SA20
6am How Do They Do It? 6.30 Shed And 250 event, a hard court tournament that takes 8.00 Women’s Big Bash League 11.35
Buried 7.00 The Repair Shop 8.00 American place at Delray Beach Tennis Centre in Florida. Pushing Boundaries 12.00-4am SA20
Pickers 10.00 Chasing Classic Cars 11.00
Vintage Voltage 12.00 How Do They Do It? 1.00
SKY SPORTS PREMIER LEAGUE SKY SPORTS GOLF
6am PL Greatest Games 7.00 PL Highlights 6am DP World Tour Golf 11.00 The Golf
Money For Nothing 2.00 The Repair Shop 3.00 Fitness Show 11.30 PGA Tour Golf 5.00 Golf’s
Find It, Fix It, Flog It 4.00 Salvage Hunters 5.00 8.00 SNF 8.30 PL Highlights 10.00 The
Football Show 11.30 Ref Watch 12.00 The Greatest Holes 6.00 Chronicles Of A
Salvage Hunters: The Restorers 6.00 Wheeler
Dealers 7.00 Aussie Gold Hunters 8.00 Salvage Football Show 1.00 Premier League 1.30 PL Champion Golfer 7.00 PGA Tour Golf 8.00
Hunters 9.00 Outback Farm 10.00 Gold Divers Highlights 3.00 SNF 3.30 PL Highlights 5.00 Golf’s Greatest Holes 9.00 PGA Tour Golf
11.00 How Do They Do It? 12.00 Wheeler PL 100 Club 6.00 PL Legends 6.30 LIVE 10.00 Chronicles Of A Champion Golfer 11.00
Dealers 1.00-2am Border Control: Spain MNF. Crystal Palace v Chelsea. Kick-off at PGA Tour Golf 12.00 Golf’s Greatest Holes
8.00. Coverage of the Premier League match 1.00-2am PGA Tour Golf
Appearances 6.40 Dad’s Army 8.00 Only Fools gets a visit from Terence Meyers, followed by a
And Horses. Christmas special from 1986.
Rodney dates an aristocrat’s daughter. 9.20 Not
suspicious death. 11.00 Justified 12.00
Elementary 1.00-2am Unforgettable
RADIO
Going Out. Lee imagines a perfect life with Lucy. SKY COMEDY
10.00 Live At The Apollo. Noel Fielding hosts
with guests Dane Baptiste and Al Porter. 11.00 8am American Auto 9.00 The Conners 10.00
Run 10.30 Curb Your Enthusiasm 11.40 Ballers
The Young Ones 11.45 Only Fools And Horses
1.05-2.05am Live At The Apollo 12.50 How To Make It In America 2.10 Curb
Your Enthusiasm 3.20 Ballers 4.30 Run 5.00
COMEDY CENTRAL The Conners 6.00 The US Office 7.00 American
8am Most Ridiculous: Pets 8.35 Most Auto 8.00 Will & Grace 9.00 Curb Your
Ridiculous: Dumbest Ever 9.00 Blockbusters Enthusiasm. Jeff pays the price for taking Larry’s
10.00 Impractical Jokers: Dinner Party 12.00 advice for Susie’s birthday gift. 9.45 Sex And
Home Improvement 1.00 Digman! 2.30 The City. Charlotte meets an eligible doctor.
Friends 9.00 Michael McIntyre: Hello Wembley! 11.00 Real Time With Bill Maher. The comedian
A 2009 performance at Wembley Arena. 10.00 and guests discuss the week’s events. 12.10 Virgin Radio 6.30am Jayne Middlemiss
Impractical Jokers 11.00 Reno 911! Dangle Veep 1.30-2.15am Curb Your Enthusiasm sits in as the Breakfast Show host
confronts his fear of public speaking. 11.30 DISCOVERY
Kristen Schaal: Comedy Central Live 12.00
The Alternative Comedy Experience 1.00-2am 6am How It’s Made 7.00 Gold Divers 8.00 VIRGIN RADIO DAB virginradio.co.uk
Building Off The Grid 9.00 Alaska: The Last
Rhod Gilbert’s Growing Pains 6.30am Jayne Middlemiss On The Chris Evans
Frontier 10.00 Richard Hammond’s Big 11.00
ALIBI Wheeler Dealers 1.00 Building Off The Grid Breakfast Show 10.00 Ryan Tubridy 1.00 Kate
7.10am Murdoch Mysteries 9.00 Rizzoli & Isles 3.00 Blowing Up History 4.00 Alaska: Lawler 4.00 Dick & Dom 7.00 Bam 10.00 Amy
Voce 1.00-4am Sean Goldsmith
10.00 Unforgettable 11.00 Without A Trace Homestead Rescue 6.00 Richard Hammond’s
12.00 The Doctor Blake Mysteries 1.00 Father Big 7.00 Wheeler Dealers. Mike and Ant finally TALKRADIO DAB talkradio.co.uk
Brown 2.00 Murdoch Mysteries 4.00 Rizzoli & get hold of a 1969 Datsun Roadster. 8.00 6am Talk Today With Jeremy Kyle And Rosie
Isles 5.00 Unforgettable 6.00 Without A Trace. Railroad Alaska. The freight team prepares its Wright 9.30 Kev And Alex 10.00 Jake Berry
A cheerleader disappears. 7.00 Elementary. Kitty most dangerous load of the year. 9.00 Wheeler 1.00 Kevin O’Sullivan And Alex Phillips 3.00 Ian
Winter returns, bearing a warning. 8.00 Father Dealers. Mike and Elvis set out to restore a Ford Collins 4.00 Vanessa Feltz 6.00 The Talk 7.00
Brown. A girl is left for dead at a school fete. Fiesta Mark 1. 10.00 Holden Bros. Restos. A Prime Time With Rosanna Lockwood 8.00 Piers
9.00 Death In Paradise. The president of the 1969 Volkswagen van gets a new lease of life Morgan Uncensored 9.00 The Independent
local cricket club is found dead in the middle of with some peace, love, and mud tyres. 11.00 Republic Of Mike Graham 11.00 Petrie Hosken
the pitch. 10.00 Murdoch Mysteries. Murdoch Expedition X 12.00-2am Deadliest Catch 1.00 Paul Ross 5.00-6am James Max

interspersed with the sheer
comedic chaos of the delivery
room scenes took viewers on
an emotional rollercoaster they
perhaps didn’t anticipate.
The other subplots, including
Jack’s straight best pal Danny
(Jon Pointing) finally finding his
true family in his mate’s mad
and caring clan, plus Jack’s
mum Peggy (Camille Coduri)
moving on from her husband’s
passing with another taxi driver,
were also neatly sewn up.
But there’s certainly enough
material to knock out a third
series, not least seeing how
Shannon adapts to
motherhood.
Come on Jack, get writing.
STUART PINK
ILL-FATED MISSION . . . shuttle
TNT SPORTS 1
6am UEFA Europa League & Conference
MOVIES
League Magazine 7.00 T20 Cricket Highlights
8.00 Premier League 9.30 Premier League –
The Big Interview 10.00 Vanarama National
League 11.30 Vanarama National League
Highlights 12.00 LIVE Hockey. USA v
Netherlands. Push-back at 12.00. 2.00 LIVE
Hockey. India v China. Push-back at 2.00.
4.00 Ligue 1 Highlights 5.00 UEFA
Champions League Magazine 5.30 Premier
League Stories 6.00 Premier League – The Big
Interview 6.30 Ligue 1 Highlights 7.30 LIVE
Serie A. Juventus v Udinese. Kick-off at 7.45.
9.45 TNT Sports Goals Reload 10.15
Vanarama National League Highlights 10.45
Around the Block 11.00 WWE Raw Highlights
12.00 WWE SmackDown Highlights 1.00-
4.15am LIVE WWE Monday Night Raw.
Wrestling coverage.
TNT SPORTS 2
6am Hockey 10.00 Premiership Women’s
Rugby 11.00 Women’s One-Day International
Cricket 12.00 T20 Cricket Highlights 1.00 Test
Cricket Highlights 3.00 One Day International
Cricket 4.00 Sign Up – Into Football 4.45
Around the Block 5.00 The WRC Magazine
5.30 French Women’s Division 1 6.30 LIVE
Ultimate Pool. Coverage of the Group 6
matches in the Champions League tournament.
9.30pm-6am LIVE Test Cricket. New
Zealand v South Africa.
TNT SPORTS 3
6am Serie A 3.00 French Women’s Division 1
4.00 TNT Sports Cricket Reload 4.30
Vanarama National League Highlights 5.00
Hockey 9.00 Fishing: On the Bank 10.00 UFC
1.00 LIVE NBA. Milwaukee Bucks v Denver
Nuggets. Tip-off at 1.00. 3.30-6am LIVE
NBA. Los Angeles Clippers v Minnesota
Timberwolves. Tip-off at 3.30.
VIAPLAY SPORTS 1
6am LaLiga 8.00 Top 14 Rugby Union 10.00
LaLiga 12.00 NHL Tonight 1.00 Sporting
Countdowns 2.00 LaLiga News 2.30 NHL Ice
Hockey 4.30 Transworld Sport 5.30 Sporting
Greats 6.00 Viva LaLiga 7.30 LIVE LaLiga.
Almeria v Athletic Bilbao. Kick-off at 8.00.
10.30 Football’s Greatest 11.00 Supercoppa
1.00 NASCAR Highlights 3.00-6am LIVE
NHL Ice Hockey. Vegas Golden Knights v
Minnesota Wild. Face-off at 3.00.
TALKSPORT 1053, 1089MW talksport.com
6am Ally McCoist 10.00 Jim White And Simon
Jordan 1.00 Hawksbee And Jacobs 4.00 Andy
Goldstein And Darren Bent 7.00 Monday
GameNight 10pm-1am Sports Bar
TALKSPORT2 DAB talksport.com
6am Sportsday 9.00 TalkSPORT Exclusives
1.00 The TalkSPORT 2 Social 5.00 TalkSPORT
Exclusives 6.00 TalkWRESTLING 8.00
TalkSPORT Exclusives 5.00-6am Breakfast
TIMES RADIO DAB thetimes.co.uk/radio
6am Aasmah Mir And Stig Abell 10.00 Matt
Chorley 1.00 Mariella Frostrup 3.00 Jane
Garvey And Fi Glover 5.00 John Pienaar 7.00
Pienaar And Friends 8.00 Kait Borsay
10pm-1am Carole Walker
RADIO 1 97.6-99.8FM bbc.co.uk/radio1
6.57am Newsbeat 7.00 Greg James 10.30
Newsbeat 10.32 Rickie, Melvin And Charlie 12.45
Newsbeat 1.00 Dean And Vicky 3.30 Newsbeat
3.32 Vick And Jordan 5.45 Newsbeat 6.00 Clara
Amfo 7.00 Hottest Records Of The Week 8.00
Jack Saunders 10.00 Sian Eleri 11.00 Daniel P
Carter 1.00-2am Alyx Holcombe
RADIO 2 88-91FM bbc.co.uk/radio2
6.30am Nicki Chapman 9.30 Vernon Kay
12.00 Jeremy Vine 2.00 Scott Mills 4.00
Sara Cox 7.00 Jo Whiley. Music and chat.
9.00 Cerys Matthews 10.00 Trevor Nelson
12.00-3am Phil Williams
Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 31
4-PAGE
SECTION TV GUIDE
tv picks
THE SPACE SHUTTLE THAT the almost one million people
FELL TO EARTH, BBC2, 9pm: living with dementia in the UK.
This absorbing three-part series Journalist Fergus Walsh has
tells the tale of seven astronauts been granted exclusive access to
from America, Israel and India. the UK trials of two new drugs,
In 2003, the elite group spent rescued from the shuttle debris – passion for architecture and and follows the progress of
16 days in space on a mission brings to life an optimistic era. interior design. (You can tell, patients who have been on them.
known as STS-107, before In the months before Columbia because he’s wearing black- BE MY GUEST WITH INA
preparing to return to the US. GARTEN, Food Network, 5pm:
launched for its 28th flight, we rimmed specs).
Tragically, as Space Shuttle see engineers’ concern about In this new property series, he The popular American cook and
Columbia re-entered the
small cracks found in the shuttle checks out some truly stunning author Ina Garten welcomes us
atmosphere, it began to and hear how relatives of the homes. Tonight, Alan visits a to her rustic East Hamptons barn
disintegrate, killing the crew on
crew felt about waving their loved family in the Norfolk Broads in this new lifestyle series.
board. Using NASA’s archives ones off into space. before heading to Canada, where She is also entertaining some
and interviews with the crew’s As plans intensify for a return a woodland playground awaits. guests, starting with award-
loved ones, NASA staff and to the moon, this is a timely ALZHEIMER’S: A TURNING winning actress Laura Linney.
journalists, the full story unfolds. exploration of the challenges and POINT? – PANORAMA, BBC How does a blueberry ricotta
Vivid footage taken during inherent dangers of space travel. One, 8pm: For the first time, cake sound, followed by shrimp
preparation for the mission and ALAN CUMMING’S PARADISE medication is showing signs of boil with a twist and then some
filmed while the astronauts were HOMES, HGTV, 8pm: Actor and decelerating Alzheimer’s, a antiques shopping?
in space – including tape presenter Alan also has a keen disease that affects two thirds of ADAM BERESFORD
Sky Cinema Premiere 5.40pm Anthony
Ramos in Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts
SKY CINEMA PREMIERE
12noon King Of Killers (15, 2022) ★★★
1.45 Jesus Revolution (12, 2023) ★★★
3.55 Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken
(PG, 2023) ★★★ 5.40 Transformers: Rise
Of The Beasts (12, 2023) ★★★ 8.00 The
Bricklayer (15, 2023) ★★★ 10.00
Desperation Road (18, 2023) ★★★ 12.00-
1.40am Soft & Quiet (18, 2022) ★★★
SKY CINEMA VALENTINES
11.05am Love Story (PG, 1970) ★★★★
1.00 Forces Of Nature (12, 1999) ★★ 3.00
My Fair Lady (U, 1964) ★★★★ 6.00
Sleepless In Seattle (PG, 1993) ★★★★
8.00 Kate & Leopold (12, 2001) ★★★★
10.00 Alfie (15, 2004) ★★ 11.50 Fifty
Shades Of Grey (18, 2015) ★★★ 2.00-
4.05am Finding You (PG, 2021) ★★★
SKY CINEMA ACTION
9.35am 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers
Of Benghazi (15, 2016) ★★★★ 12.05 The
Scorpion King (PG, 2002) ★★★ 1.45
White House Down (12, 2013) ★★★★
4.00 The Huntsman: Winter’s War (12,
2016) ★★★★ 6.00 The Mummy: Tomb Of
The Dragon Emperor (12, 2008) ★★★
8.00 65 (12, 2023) ★★★ 9.40 The
Commuter (15, 2018) ★★★★ 11.35 White
House Down (12, 2013) ★★★★ 1.55-
3.35am White Elephant (15, 2022) ★★★
FILM4 freeview 14
11am The Ghost And Mrs Muir (U, 1947)
★★★★ 1.10 Dead Of Night (PG, 1945)
★★★★★ 3.15 Nothing But The Best (PG,
1964) ★★★ 5.20 Two Way Stretch (U,
1960) ★★★ 7.05 Skyscraper (12, 2018)
★★★ 9.00 Jack Reacher: Never Go
Back (12, 2016) Action thriller sequel. ★★★
11.20 World War Z (15, 2013) ★★★★ 1.35-
3.40am Ping Pong (PG, 1986) ★★★
TALKING PICTURES freeview 82
12.35pm The Day The Earth Stood Still
(U, 1951) ★★★★★ 2.25 Boy With A Flute
3.00 The Saint 4.00 That Beryl Marston!
4.30 Campbell’s Kingdom (U, 1957) ★★
6.30 Out Of Town 7.00 The Footage
Detectives 8.00 The Brothers 9.05
The Diamond Wizard (U, 1954) ★ 10.45
Firewalker (15, 1986) ★★ 12.50-2am
The Girl On The Pier (PG, 1953) ★★★
GREAT! MOVIES freeview 34
11.00am Boyfriend Killer (15, 2017) ★★★
1.05 Baby Obsession (12, 2018) ★★★ 3.00
Washed Away (PG, 2017) ★★ 5.05 Left
For Dead (2014) ★★★ 7.10 An Aurora
Teagarden Mystery: Real Murders (PG,
2015) ★★ 9.00 The Expendables 2 (15,
2012) ★★★★ 11.15pm-1.10am Escape
Plan 2: Hades (15, 2018) ★★
GREAT! ACTION freeview 42
12noon Wild West Chronicles 1.00
The Pledge (PG, 2008) ★★ 2.50 The
Warrant (12, 2020) ★★★ 4.55 Breaker
Morant (PG, 1980) ★★★★ 7.10 Jet
Stream (PG, 2012) ★★★ 9.00 Meek’s
Cutoff (PG, 2010) ★★★★ 11.10pm-1.25am
Son Of A Gun (15, 2015) ★★★
32 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024

ROGER SAYS
I think I’ve
found a special
Edited by person. My wife
LYNSEY
CLARKE
would be happy for
with JESS me. She could’ve
WILSON
and JOEL
been friends
THE FAB DAILY TEAM: Senior Feature Writers Claire Dunwell, Kirsten Jones and Alex COOPER with Janey
Lloyd, Contributing Editor Nikki Watkins, Feature Writer Yasmin Harisha, Fashion Editor
Clemmie Fieldsend, Deputy Fashion Editor Abby McHale

EXCLUSIVE by ALEX LLOYD

A HOME-COOKED meal
and a bottle of wine in front
of the telly is all that they
have planned.
But when Roger Hawes and Janey
Smith celebrate Valentine’s Day this
week, it will be one of the most spe-
cial either has had.
They thought love was lost to them until
they met on ITV dating show My Mum,
Your Dad last summer, and sparks flew.
Nine months on from filming, singer-
songwriter Janey and former postie Roger
are the only couple still together.
Things are so serious that show host
Davina McCall might need to buy a hat
soon, the smitten pair admit.
Janey, 48, says: “We get asked all the
time if we’re going to get married. I’ve
never been married and have always
wanted to. But everything has to be right
and I don’t want Roger to think I’m
pressuring him.”
Widower Roger, 59, agrees: “It’s a
romantic thing to get everyone together
and have that perfect day. I think I’ve
found a special person. She’s lovely.”
He adds: “My wife would be happy for A WINE
me. She could’ve been friends with Janey.” ROMANCE . . .
Billed as Love Island for the middle- Roger and Janey
aged, My Mum, Your Dad was a surprise raise a glass of
hit when it aired in September. bubbly on TV
A group of 12 unlucky-in-love parents show, top. With
were placed in a luxury house for two
weeks to see if romance could blossom. his daughter Jess
Each contestant had been nominated by and her son
one of their grown-up children who, Will, right, and
unbeknown to them, were watching the fooling around
action unfold in a second house nearby. during our
During the ten-part series, Roger’s story photoshoot,
particularly touched viewers. below
The father of three had been widowed
18 months earlier when
his wife of 31 years,
Joanne, died of cancer.
His daughter Jess, 29,
applied for him to be
in the show as she and
her sister Alex, 27, and
their brother Ben, 23,
wanted him to know he
had their permission to
find love again.
Roger says: “I never Sussex, or at Roger’s in Chester- get the crap. Trolls will actively seek me
expected to come out of it field, Derbyshire. Janey recalls: out on social media to say nasty things.
with another life partner. “We had to keep it low-key “They send messages saying, ‘Your son
“It’s the craziest story, initially, but we had the best must be proud of you (not!)’, and some-
like something from a four months, having a normal times I’ll just get comments saying, ‘Who
film. I’m just so pleased — relationship and travelling back do you think you are?’.
I have a smug grin all the and forth to see each other. “I’ve also been told to keep our rela-
time.” “We knew there could be tionship private or keep my clothes on.
For Janey, lasting love interest after it aired but we “Because I’ve sung all my life and per-
had seemed out of reach promised to look after one formed on stage, I’m confident — but I
after years as a single mum another.” have my insecurities, like everybody.
to Will, now 20. Roger jokes: “We just hoped “I have to keep telling myself, ‘It’s my
“I’d been on the dating apps the show would be liked and life, not theirs’.”
on and off for a while,” she we wouldn’t sink Davina’s Roger has also been on the receiving
says. “It’s hard work and you career.” end of sick jibes. He says: “They know
have to put the time in. Public enthusiasm for nothing about you but will go out of
“As a single mum, I’d only have the pair has sparked their way to say something horrible.
every other Saturday night free. countless “pinch “It’s hard not to bite back, especially
me” moments in when it’s about your family, your late
“Going on the show felt extreme the past few
and I’d told myself, ‘If this doesn’t wife or your partner.
months, with “There are people who think
work, I don’t know what will’.” Roger quitting
As the show filmed last May but did 19 months after losing your partner is
his postie job to too soon to start dating again — and
not air until September, the pair had enjoy the ride.
time to ensure their feelings were they tell you that.
They are now “It is upsetting. Do they want me to
genuine in private before the public travel correspond-
knew their story. go back to spending every day sitting
ents for This Morn- in a dark room?
Roger says: “We had breakfast ing, reporting from
together the morning after filming “But I’d had enough of waking up
Switzerland and Bar- and wanting to cry. The first year
ended and went our separate bados already, and
ways. As we drove away, it after she died was just horrific and I
have modelled for fash- don’t know what I would have done
crossed both of our minds if this ion brand JD Williams.
was the real thing.” without my family.
Janey has also posed for “Now I’m looking forward to mak-
Janey adds: “I found it Ann Summers lingerie. ing lots more happy memories.”
unnerving because we’d come While most people While younger reality show cou-
out of this bubble and I applauded her good for- ples often seem to prioritise fame
thought Roger might go home tune — and her fantastic over their relationship, it’s clear that
and realise he wasn’t ready 5ft 10in figure — there for Roger and Janey these opportu-
for this. have been trolls keen nities are simply a bonus to finding
“But hours later, we were to take her down. a soulmate.
talking on FaceTime and it She reveals: “The The two have barely spent a day MODERN LOVE
felt very natural.” show had a mostly apart since meeting, dividing their STORY . . . Roger
They began meeting female audience and and Janey met on
up at Janey’s home time between their homes, with
in Crawley, West I find a lot of people Janey enjoying having a partner a TV show
root for Roger and I to cook her favourite fish dishes Pictures: EMMA
PHILLIPSON
 Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 33

MY MUM, Fab Daily

Hot or Not
YOUR DAD
GAVE US A
GOING
UP
COATS AMAZE

SECOND
SEARCHES for raincoats
have jumped 160 per cent
over the last week after the
rainy start to February,
according to New Look.
With wet and wintry
conditions due to continue
this week, you’ll need chic

CHANCE
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We love its stylish £39.99
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EGGCELLENT NEWS

AT LOVE...
IF you’re already a fan of
Domino’s cookies you’ll
be pleased to know the
pizza company has
teamed up with Cadbury
to launch its Creme Egg-
stuffed cookie for
Valentine’s Day.
The warm, gooey

AND WE’RE
dessert is available
now for £6.99.

#NOFILTER
FORMER Love Islander
Shaughna Phillips has

TAKING IT
won praise for sharing
an unedited video of
herself in a swimsuit
talking toxic body
standards after giving
birth. She wants to be a
good role model to
daughter Lucia, and we
applaud her.

JANEY SAYS
Say Roger Hawes LIP SERVICE

and Janey Smith

We get asked MODEL Hailey Bieber
has been spotted with a
all the time if phone case that has a
holder for your lip
we’re going to get balm.
Genius? We think so.
married. I’ve never But the invention has
inspired women to
been married and for, while Roger takes charge of clean- start taping their
a recent weekend visiting law student Will lipgloss to their phone
have always ing. He says: “It took me a couple of
months to turn her on to Yorkshire tea
at university in Cardiff, one fan tracked
them down in a bar after they posted a
cases.
That’s not such a
wanted to and I’ve been building up my chilli toler-
ance. She puts it on everything, even her
snap on Instagram — and offered them tick-
ets to a Six Nations match.
great look.
breakfast.” Janey says: “People are genuinely pleased
The ease with which the couple rub along for us and just as surprised as us that it
is clear from their constant teasing during worked out. I think they find it refreshing to TIME MANAGEMENT
our exclusive photoshoot. see people of an older generation have FOR this month’s cover,
Roger makes cheeky jokes about Janey’s another go at things. We’re both young at British Vogue managed
toilet habits in between complimenting her heart — you don’t have to give up on the schedules of the
beauty, while she reveals he brings her tea romance because your kids are grown up.” world’s most famous
in bed every day. Their children’s blessing has greased the and in-demand women,
She says: “He’s very caring and consider- wheels of the union, with the two families from Oprah to Maya
ate, he wears his heart on his sleeve. It’s the spending Boxing Day together. Jama. Yet most of us
little things that mean the most.” can’t manage to meet
Moving in together full-time is on the
cards, but it is complicated as they each
‘Life is fleeting’ our mates for a cuppa
have elderly parents to care for — although Roger says: “I could see some people were on a Tuesday evening.
the in-laws are firm fans of the pairing. initially apprehensive about me meeting
Tearing up, Janey says: “It makes me emo- somebody new, but my family could see how
tional to think William is 20 and I’ve never happy I was. Once they met Janey, they FLOWER FLOP
lived with someone. could see why I loved her.” MORE than a quarter of
“All my parents have ever wanted is Janey admits blending their broods was men admit they forget to
for me to meet someone and be especially daunting for her. buy a Valentine’s Day gift,
happy.” “We’re quite small and low maintenance, while a third end up
And it’s clear they too have taken whereas Roger’s family are much bigger,” she spending more as a result
a shine to Roger. He says: “Her says. “Will’s never had a sibling, but Roger
has three kids and they have partners.” of last-minute present
parents will take us out for buying, Aldi has found.
dinner and her mum Roger adds: “My kids love Will as
much as Janey. Ben took him fishing As a result, the store is
always takes my side
over Janey. and out into Chesterfield. offering bargains on
“My mum loves seeing Janey. “We’re all going away as a big roses, from a single stem
I turned up once without her group at Easter.” to a double-dozen. Prices
and she started quizzing me Given their clear chemistry and start from just £2.29.
about it. easy-going nature, the future seems
“We even get questions if I rosy for the good-humoured couple,
post a picture alone on social
media. People panic —
who still can’t believe how their lives
have changed in 12 months. GOING
DOWN
but Janey’s just taking Roger says: “It sounds corny
the photo.” but losing someone teaches you
Out and about, the two that life and love is fleeting.
are regularly approached “I have a second chance at
by strangers thrilled to see love with Janey and I’m going
them still going strong. On to love her.”
CUPID . . . show host Davina
34 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
 dear deidre
Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 35

Team: JANE ALLTON, HILARY FREEMAN,

Edited by SALLY LAND No matter what the issue, I answer every single problem KALLY LEWIS, CATHERINE THOMAS

HE KEEPS
LYING AND
CHEATED His lap dancer PARENTS NOW
ISOLATED AS
THEY CANNOT

haunts our sex

WITH EX
Dear Deidre
FINDING out my boyfriend
slept with his ex was
devastating enough but when
he instructed me to put it in
the past and move on, I lost it.
I’m 44 and he’s 46. We have
been together two years, but
were friends before.
He has lied to me so much.
I’ve caught him out on it each
time. He promises he won’t
do it again and apologises
but nothing changes.
I recently discovered he’d
been sleeping with his ex.
I can’t trust him. I told him I
was leaving and he begged
me to stay. This isn’t the first
time this has happened.
I have questions but, if I ask
him anything, he brushes me
off and tells me to forget it.
He gets the hump and goes
to bed or changes the subject.
It’s been a few weeks but I
think about it constantly. It’s
damaging my mental health.
0 DEIDRE SAYS: It’s time to
try to understand why you
have put up with his lies for
so long while ignoring the
signs that he isn’t willing to
commit to you.
By repeatedly accepting
his behaviour you send him
the message that you will
settle for less.
His deception is further
damaging your self-esteem.
My guess is he is an
emotionally damaged man,
incapable of commitment
– someone who will never
bring you happiness.
My support packs Can’t
Be Faithful and Raising
Self-esteem can help, but it’s
clear you deserve more.
hot topic
SELF-HARM is the action of
hurting yourself as a way of
dealing with difficult
feelings, painful memories
or overwhelming situations.
For many, it is a way of
expressing something that
is too difficult to put into
words.
It’s estimated that
17 per cent of people will
deliberately injure
themselves in their lifetime.
If you are struggling, or
someone you know is, then
my support pack
Understanding Self-harm
will help.
Dear Deidre
AS my wedding day draws closer, everyone keeps
Dear Deidre
MY husband confessed that
he’d had a private lap
dance. Now, whenever we
are intimate, I reckon he
must be thinking of her.
A big part of me wishes he had
just lied about the whole thing.
We’re both in our late forties and
have teenage children.
I knew something was awry when
my husband came home worse for
wear and stinking of perfume. I
eventually made him tell me.
I’m no prude. I know he has been
to strip clubs before and it never
bothered me.
The difference here is this was a
one-on-one dance in private. It feels
so intimate.
I got out of him that she was tall,
slim, pretty and in her late 20s.
Although I look after myself, my
body is not as firm as pre-children.
We have never had problems
regarding our sex life but now I
keep finding myself questioning
everything.
I keep quizzing him: Did she touch
stories deidre’s photo casebook
HEY GIRL, BACK
FROM JORDAN’S
AGAIN?
KNOW IT!
YOU TWO
HAVE BEEN
SPENDING
A LOT OF
TIME
TOGETHER
RECENTLY...
Clothes by Boohoo and BoohooMAN
MUM’S TRYING TO
HERE TO HELP YOU
IF YOU are worried about anything
please get in touch with my team
of counsellors and we will do our
best to help you. Every email
receives a personal response
within one working day.
deardeidre@the-sun.co.uk
him? Did he touch her? Did he want
to touch her? Apparently her breasts
did brush his face but he kept his
hands to himself.
He tried to justify what he did by
telling me his boss paid for the
dance. He says he never would have
VALENTINE: DAY 1
DO YOU THINK
HE’S ORGANISED
ANYTHING FOR
VALENTINE’S DAY?
YOU
MAYBE HE’LL ASK
YOU TO GO OFFICIAL
ON VALENTINE’S...
CONTINUES TOMORROW
me for two weeks. It is stress I don’t need. I want
my mum to be included. Is she out of order or am
requested one himself.
stand the thought of this woman
I can’t
grinding on him and showing him
all her bits.
He says he is sorry and that he
loves me. He wants to move on but I
keep wondering how he can love me
when he allowed this to happen.
He could have refused but he
didn’t. He said that while he enjoyed
it, it made him feel uncomfortable
and it meant nothing.
How do we get past this?
0 DEIDRE SAYS: Your husband went
beyond the boundaries of what you are
comfortable with, and the fact he initially
denied having a lap dance suggests he
knew you wouldn’t be happy.
Any action that violates the trust in a
relationship is cheating.
But in his defence he did come clean,
clearly loves you and wants to make
amends. You are torturing yourself by
constantly asking for details.
By furnishing yourself with more
images, it will be harder to move on.
Talk to him about how hurt and
vulnerable you now feel. You want to move
forward so ask for his reassurance that he
won’t betray you in the same way again.
My support pack Cheating – Can You
Get Over It? explains more.
LUCY’S LAZY
I HOPE SO! WE
STARTED AS
CASUAL BUT I’M
PRETTY SURE
HE FEELS THE
SAME AS ME...
AFFORD CAR
Dear Deidre
AFTER getting rid of their car, my parents
hardly go out. I’m worried about how
isolated they are becoming and that they
are starting to get depressed.
I am a 53-year-old man. My parents are
in their early eighties.
Their car did not meet their area’s Ulez
requirements and they couldn’t afford the
£12.50 daily charge, so sold it.
It was their lifeline and they can’t afford
a more up-to-date car.
Taxis are too expensive. They have
tried buses but they have bad knees and
hips and it’s not ideal when they have
heavy bags.
My parents never used to fall out but
they are getting fed up being cooped up
together and are starting to bicker.
They used to regularly see family and
their friends and attended lots of social
clubs but that is very limited now.
0 DEIDRE SAYS: You are right to be
concerned – social connections are
vital for good mental health.
They may qualify for financial
support. Turn2Us (turn2us.org.uk,
0808 802 2000) can help with this.
Please encourage them to see their
GP for help with their low mood.
You could research whether there are
any car club companies in your area.
These clubs enable members to use
cars from a pool on an hourly or daily
rate, without the costly overheads.
Hopefully one of these solutions will
help get your parents back on the road
and reconnected with their old life.

RUIN MY BIG DAY

telling my mum she “must be so proud” of me – but I
think the opposite is true.
There’s no doubt about it, she keeps trying to ruin
my big day. I’m 29 and my fiancé is 30. We don’t
want a huge wedding, so we’ve limited the guest list
to 80 at the register office and a restaurant in town.
If I were to choose one word to describe my
mum’s attitude it would be “reluctant”.
She is making a big show of being completely
uninterested. If I try to involve her in the flowers,
invitations, menu, it’s all met with apathy.
When I chose my dress, she really hurt me. I
invited her to the first fitting appointment along with
my bridesmaids – but she didn’t turn up.
I called her from the shop with my dress on and
her answer was: “Dad is unwell, I can’t come.” The
truth is he had a cold. Later on, she told me I
shouldn’t have invited the others.
She claims she doesn’t know anything about my
wedding, even though I have kept her in the loop
throughout.
She says she feels left out. She hasn’t spoken to
I in the wrong?
0 DEIDRE SAYS: Weddings often bring out
family tensions, but it sounds like your mother is
resentful she’s not more central to your plans.
She is trying to make everything about her, but
this is your wedding day and you must have the
day you want.
Her comments on your plans hurt but no
matter what you do, she’s unlikely to change.
You can only change the way you react. See her
behaviour as being less about you and more
about her.
My support pack Wedding Worries will help.

ONLINE & SOCIAL

Need help with a dilemma or want to know more about how we can help?
ONLINE: thesun.co.uk/deidre Follow and message us on: X @DearDeidre
INSTAGRAM @dear.deidre FACEBOOK @DearDeidreOfficial
36 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
 letters
Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 37

Mystic
@ the-sun.co.uk

The page where you tell Britain what you think Meg
HOW shockingly
greedy are the friends
of Amy Winehouse who
auctioned her
belongings and Our King is with MAGGIE INNES

one with us
allegedly kept the ARIES March 21 – April 20 TAURUS April 21 – May 21
proceeds?
Her dad Mitch wants The moon and Neptune Your Venus power is to
to use the £730,000 for make a questioning couple, accept passion may not be
so if you find yourself perfect on the outside, but
the Amy Winehouse doubting your judgment, it’s what you feel inside that
Foundation charity. this can be why. Make sure counts. This is what can take
I hope he recoups you have covered every angle, a couple forward. If you start
every penny, as he will filed every fact and you can proceed the day single, your dream date can be
put it to better use than HE may be royalty appears from another planet, we will
with confidence. In love, too, uncer- someone who hides a warm heart with
be left in deep trouble.
those two.
MAYA DENNIS
Belfast
£50
LETTER
and a king, but
Charles really does
KENNETH CLIBERY
Wolverhampton
tainty is in the air, but this adds an
unexpected, sexy choice.
a cool attitude. Luck opens a message
from two months ago.
IF junior doctors can
have a connection THE mini Budget, or fiscal event, of
with the nation. Liz Truss was even worse than we
afford to strike for thought. Councils were forced to take
another five days after After his diagnosis, a out big loans with prolonged repay- GEMINI May 22 – June 21 CANCER June 22 – July 22
the 30 or so they have simple heartfelt “thank you for all ments at high interest rates.
already had off, the support” is a touching way of Also it pushed up Government bor- Your Jupiter gift is an ability Everything that makes a
obviously they are reaching out to us. rowing with the repayment impact. to read rooms and expres- relationship special can be
getting paid too much. He acknowledged the impact cancer Some in our Press said it was a sions expertly – and straight celebrated – but you are
JANET BIDDISCOMBE has on families and highlighted the real Conservative budget. No wonder away decide who deserves also ready to face up to any
Nether Compton, Dorset work being done to find a cure for Starmer has no room to borrow now. your time. Even in the small- flaws and start fixing them.
all cancers. DAVID ROSE est group, use this power Love that’s good can become
WITH all the stabbings Right words, right time. today. There can be surprises in store. great that way. If you are single, this
and dog attacks we Linton, Cambs
STEPHEN TURNBULL
WHY would you want to Switching off emotions when a cash can change in a heartbeat when you
read about daily, we Consett, Co Durham choice is being made is not easy but hear of a local event and decide to find
need a government be driven by Keir Starmer
IT is touching that the and Labour somewhere? you can do it – and win through. out more. Luck carries pink flowers.
post of Man With
Common Sense. King described the public With so many U-turns,
The closest we ever outpouring of support surely a car crash would
since his cancer diagnosis be imminent if Labour
get to justice is a good as “the greatest comfort LEO July 23 – August 23 VIRGO August 24 – September 22
telling-off or a law were behind the wheel.
and encouragement”. MUHAMMAD ZEESHAN
brought in the year He has the best of Focusing on what you like Adding self-belief to your
Leicester
after next, which will everything, but it’s a about your working routine, range of creative skills can
never be used. IT’S fine to hear that even in the smallest ways, be the key to unlocking the
gilded cage with huge Clapham chemical attack
GRAHAM TRIMING responsibilities. I know ‘THANKS’ . . . King can free your mindset to next challenge. Letting your
Chelmsford, Essex suspect Abdul Ezedi might start changing the rest. Your writing, crafts or art be seen,
non-royalists who will not and Queen yesterday have jumped into the
WHO are the clowns knock Charles, which ideas might seem too big but or your ideas for a family or
Thames, but I will wait until his when you back them up properly, the property revamp be heard, breaks a
that suggest crazy shows the high esteem he is held in. body has been found before believing
ideas about raising PADDY MAXWELL it. He could be anywhere. right people can be ready to listen. At barrier. Meanwhile, in love terms,
the state pension age Lordshill, Southampton home, although opinions may seem Venus is full of flirty fun, and a playful
JEAN NORFOLK
to 71? divided, an agreement is coming close. Sagittarius can’t look away.
WITH a General Election on the Knottingley, West Yorks
Do these idiots horizon, who do we vote for? WHAT a silly idea to strip deadbeat
expect scaffolders, The party in power has let us dads of their driving licences and
bricklayers and heavy down, the Labour Party under Sir houses. If these men can’t pay now,
construction workers Keir Starmer changes its mind every LIBRA September 23 – October 23 SCORPIO October 24 – November 22
how can they earn a living without
to carry on until they two weeks and as for the Lib Dems, driving and being homeless? What makes a family unique Trying to be too tactful can
are 71? Get real or do us their very name makes me sick. I am sure some of these dads don’t and special can be the ele- lead you to talk in riddles.
all a favour and get lost. With our bills rising this year, pay because they are disputing the ment that most tests you – So with a colleague or a
WILLIAM FOOTES especially gas bills, many of us won’t claims against them. but you can find a perfect boss, be crystal clear about
Kings Norton, Birmingham be able to afford to keep our homes PETE LAMBELL balance. If it’s been tough to what you mean and have
warm. It seems unless someone Daventry, Northants stay quiet while others make smart solutions ready to offer.
mistakes, you can say your piece, but In a love bond, as Mars prepares to
email, fax, write or comment online keep things kind. And be ready to listen
to remarks aimed at you. Old money
move on from your communication
zone, you could let some secrets slip –
We pay £50 for our Star Letter of the day: Email letters@the-sun.co.uk. Fax us on 020 7782 4170 or write to Dear Sun, The Sun, and new tech could make a lucky mix. but this could be a relief.
1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Include your full name and address. You can share your views at thesun.co.uk

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Clue Square

Route, Lotus, Soled, Story,
Pathfinder
WAIKIKI, ALOHA, GRASS
Sun
Suko 2
SAGITTARIUS November 23 – December 21 CAPRICORN December 22 – January 20
Teaser Set Square Quizword Tours, Sorted, Louder, Solder, SKIRT, HONOLULU, 865
ACROSS: 1 Sabretooth, 6 Hay Fever, Sorely, Sourly, Tousled, Rousted, SURFING, HULA DANCER, 324
Your usual easy-going Today you wave goodbye to
9 8 1 5 2 7 3 6 4 1 + 9 × 4 Destroy, Delusory, DESULTORY PACIFIC, POLYNESIA, OAHU, approach to cash takes on the warrior planet in your
6 3 4 9 1 8 5 2 7 12 Spree, 13 Signora, 14 Elvis, TOURISM, VOLCANO 791
7 5 2 3 4 6 8 9 1 + − + 15 Thirteen, 16 Benoit Blin, 18 Brahms, some urgency thanks to birth sign, so use this burst
5 7 6 8 3 2 1 4 9 7 + 3 − 8 20 Rameses, 22 Lilt, 25 Tea, 26 Grieg, Pub Quiz Mars, while Pluto could of energy to stand up for
27 Regulator, 29 She, 30 Brown rice, Brickwork 1 Kim Novak
2 4 3 1 6 9 7 5 8 + ÷ − 1 Dam 2 Mead 3 Amend 4 Demean 2 Someone You Loved Suguru make you even more upfront. yourself and everything that
8 1 9 4 7 5 2 3 6 31 Titan, 32 Tom, 34 Indy, 36 Niagara,
3 2 8 6 9 1 4 7 5 5 × 6 × 2 37 Asians, 40 Lead piping, 42 Jalfrezi, 5 Meander 6 Remanded 7 Dreamed 34 Candlestick,
Hannah Montana
spanner, dagger, 1 3 1 2 1 If you need to talk up a deal, or matters to you. Instead of end-
1 6 7 2 5 4 9 8 3 45 Aruba, 46 Avenue Q, 47 Norse, 8 Remade 9 Armed 10 Read 11 Ear lead piping, rope, revolver go in hard for a better share, whether of lessly looking, you’re ready to take that
Sun 5 South Africa 2 4 5 3 5
4 9 5 7 8 3 6 1 2 49 Trash can, 50 Sycophancy. Minidoku 6 Combustion profits or passion, seize this moment. leap into a new work or charity project.
Suko 1 DOWN: 1 SAS, 2 Burkina Faso, 2 1 3 4 4 1 3 2 7 Esther 3 1 2 4 1 Your natural flair for finding unique Someone who always seems to rile you
Toughie 317 3 Evert, 4 Oyster, 5 Togo, 7 Alamo, 8 Cabbage
3 9 6 1 7 5 4 2 8 682 8 Fiesta, 9 Vivaldi, 10 Resonator,
3 4 2 1 3 2 1 4 9 b) An early durable form of 5 4 3 5 3 items can be a strong luck link. is your hottest passion prospect.
4 3 1 2 2 3 4 1 photograph
7 1 5 8 4 2 6 9 3 594 11 Home Secretary, 15 Tibet, 1 2 4 3 1 4 2 3
10 Pembrokeshire 1 2 1 4 2
4 2 8 9 6 3 5 7 1 17 Hang Seng Index, 19 McGann, 11 Rice pudding
Arroword 12 Capricorn
9 3 1 6 5 7 8 4 2 Mini Fit 21 Eighth, 23 Bikini, 24 Alanis,
5 6 4 2 8 1 9 3 7 VAN, COD, 28 Tetrahedron, 30 Brilliant, 33 Masai, P A I R D E Two-Speed Crossword
8 7 2 4 3 9 1 6 5 JUDO 35 Dracula, 38 Splash, 39 Banquo, U S E R S E N I OR I T Y AQUARIUS January 21 –February 18 PISCES February 19 – March 20
1 8 9 7 2 4 3 5 6 41 Prada, 43 Finch, 44 Ruby, 48 Ely. U E L K C D V E ACROSS: 1 P-i-ous, 4 S-ea-port, 8 Centaur, 9 Are-n-a,
6 5 7 3 9 8 2 1 4 E R I C CH E E T A H S 10 A-b-sent-ee, 12 Lame, 14 Err-and, 15 Co-pie-d, Dreamy, instinctive loving Your personal moon-time
2 4 3 5 1 6 7 8 9 N O A T H R OW Y 18 S(l)ick, 19 C-how-mein, 21 Flute, 22 In-tense, may not be your style, but lasts all morning when you
Cell HA VO C UMA I T E M 24 Roe-buck, 25 R-o-bin.
Blocks Futoshiki Spot The M K NO T S E L E N A DOWN: 1 Pick-axe, 2 Own, 3 Sta-g-nan-t, 4 S-cr-een, give it a try instead of feel so deeply and love so
Word Square GE E S E EWE L E A D 5 Away, 6 Operative, 7 T-e-a-s-e, 11 Structure, always analysing words or completely. This is a key
ACROSS: 1 Caged
2 ＞ 1 5 3 4 Saying
Add Up 13 Hot water, 16 Dung-eon, 17 S-hr-ink, 18 So fa-r, actions. When you lead with moment to get emotional
＜

2 Opera 3 Manor 3 4 1 5 2 1. THE REST IS 20 Beau (Bow), 23 Nab.

4 Bride 5 Steed HISTORY
119, 93, 85 your heart, your mind can truths out or ask a question
＞

DOWN: 1 Combs 1 3 4 2 5
2. FULL Wordsearch Numberfit Train Tracks relax, and this opens up so many new linked to the past. Everything you value
2 Apart 3 Genie 5 2 3 ＜ 4 1 MOON D M F J S E A U K S W M L T B R 2 2 8 5 8 0 5 2 8 1 0 8 5 4 6 1 6 2 passion paths. Single? A picture of a may be tested but never doubt your
4 Erode 5 Dared R T A Y S W L M E K T O F E E L 5
work or sport team draws your eye to ability to stand firm. Luck calls at the
＞

Word Ladder 4 5 2 ＞ 1 3 I Y H O S E A D T B I E R H L M
0 0 6 0

your perfect partner. last door on a one-way street.

5
4 3 8 5 2 1 0 8 8 1 6
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3

Medium: 17 Dunk, FUNK A R O D S A I C T G W E N N P S 8 1 4 9 7 1

4
L A R O S A K E N N O I S L I P 3
Harder: 1103 B H T V D O E I M F I E A B G A
9 6 7 5 7 5 3 8 5 1 6 3
B

Mind The Gap Mini Code E C D E O P K H N R A U Y H E R 6 1 1 1 6

Missing Link Or to pay by Text a psychic.
Mini Jigsaw
CARBON, MINING, Sparkling, Penniless, S E T T
A H I S
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O 1
4
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8
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5 3 4
5 Bird, Card, Turn, Side, Phone Meg’s credit/debit card Just text MEG
FACETS, BEAUTY, Stratagem, Hopscotch,
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L
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G
K
U
R
E
E
M
C
U
D
N
L
M
E
I
W
P
0
2
6
7
1 7 3
4
8 6
9 6
9
7 1
Song, Ship, Back, Flat,
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psychics for call 08000 356 684 then a space and
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puzzles
38 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
BRAINBUSTER SUKO®
Enter the numbers 1
to 9 in the spaces so 20 18
Insert vowels, spaces and
punctuation into this sequence
that the number in
of consonants to make a each circle is equal 24 17
well-known phrase. to the sum of its four
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HRDTSTRGHTFRMTHHRSSMTH Each coloured area
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colour totals below.

We’ve got all your favourite brain teasers PAGE 2 SUJIKO SOLUTION: Top line 315 middle 627 bottom 849

TWO- SPEED CROSSWORD Two sets of clues but the WORD WORKOUT
answers are the same 15 6 26 24 20 5 4 14 A
B

Cryptic clues 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Coffee 8 19 19 8
C
D

time
E
ACROSS
26 9 8 8 10 9 26 5 17 7 F
1 My lovely ornamental moulding (7) G
5 Criminal hides large ring in marshy land (5) ACROSS H
1 Building feature (7) 23 1 13 9 9 9 26
8 Husband in greasy spoon for banter (5) 8 9 I
9 Star ego bruised in boxing? (7) 5 Law-breaker (5) J
10 Rearranged duet with toad is passé (8) 8 Grain husks (5) 5 14 15 19 21 22 8 3 19 9 K
9 Warehousing (7) L
11 Hose knitted as last product (4)
10 Obsolete (8) 26 1 16 6 M
13 Stock units: lots! (6) 11 Footwear (4) N
15 Judgement last month on energy (6) 10 11 13 Allotted portions (6) O
18 Cereal company with sailors (4) 21 8 25 19 9 24 19 14 9 22
15 Official order (6) P
19 Bird over America is famished (8) 18 Cereal crop (4) Q
22 Disturb GI in a gallery (7) 12 13 8 8 11 26 13 8 R
19 Voracious (8)
23 Love to be Popeye’s girl (5) 22 Make nervous (7) S
24 Location in Anstruther exciting (5) 13 14 15 16 23 Mediterranean fruit (5) 6 7 8 24 3 11 13 18 19 16 T
25 Partner’s kid won’t stop dancing? (7) 24 In that respect (5) U
25 Child by marriage (7) 2 17 19 19 V
17 W
DOWN X
1 Giant moan heard around docks (7) DOWN 12 22 24 19 16 5 9 9 Y
2 Criticise Figaro as transparent part (5) 18 19 20 1 One-eyed monster (7) Z
3 Find tale silly and exaggerated (8) 2 Sunday lunch (5)
3 Overblown (8) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
4 European flower festival (6)
5 Little jumper knitted for Greece initially (4) 21 4 Christian celebration (6) U C B
5 Amphibian (4) 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
6 Nonsense writer pens the material (7)
7 Relative, pleasant, receives insurance at last (5) 22
6 Tanned hide (7) N
23 7 Sibling’s daughter (5) THIS is the world’s best brainteaser. Each grid number in our Word
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E I
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EACH clue leads to a well-known name. Put the initials or stated letters in the
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THE NAME GAME

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7 8 3 2 9 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 FOR KIDS: 7.
YESTERDAY: Empire, emptier,

6 4 2 7 8 1 & 13 Initials of Mr Lewis, author who created the land of Narnia

grip, gripe, inept, neep, peer,
peering, pent, peri, perm,
perming, permit, pert, peter,
9 6 6&5 Actor whose real name is Ramon Estevez petering, pier, pigment, pine,
ping, pinger, pint, preen, prig,

4 8 5 9 Israeli mononymous actor and star of the film Fiddler On The Roof prim, prime, print, repent,
repine, ripe, ripen, temp,
3 & 10 His films included A Man Called Horse and Camelot temper, temping, trip, tripe,
TEMPERING.
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4 1 8 30-SEC NUMBERCRUNCH Yesterday’s solutions are

on today’s Letters page
HERE is our fantastic puzzle, the 30-second NumberCrunch. There’s no better way to keep your brain trained than playing
4 our great teasers. So if you want to stay ahead of the game, you will love this challenge.
Starting at the left with the number provided, work your way across the three lines one at a time, applying all the Today’s
D
G
O
I
B
L
B
E
Y
A
S
H
S
N

1 9 6 mathematical instructions to your running total. Don’t reach for your calculator – that would be cheating! Write your final
Solutions
D I R G A H A
A M N R M O P
answer in the last box of the line. You should be aiming to complete each round in about 30 seconds. Good luck! S N R N N I E

Answers below, right.

7
1 3 1 2 1

4 2 1
E Y U O Y E P
U L R L S I E
4 2 4 3 4
BEGINNER BEGINNER
ANSWER 1 3 5 1 2 Wordsearch

7 1 6 8 55 - 17 Half of it + 184 ÷7 + 94 ÷3 - 29 ×9 - 59 4 2 4 3 5 1 9 7
17 24
5 2 6
1 3 1 2 1 18 20
3 8 4
Suguru
3 9
INTERMEDIATE BEGINNER
ANSWER
Suko

130 + 55 ÷5 + 62 2/3 of it - 57 ×4 + 398 ÷7 + 233 horse’s mouth.

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I heard it straight from the
ADVANCED BEGINNER
ANSWER
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488 ÷8 + 3091 3/8 of it + 4864 - 1935 - 177 ÷5 49, 295, 19

Helpline: 0333 202 3390 (9am-5.30pm). of it of it
Service provider: Spoke, W1T 4HD
NumberCrunch
Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 39
40 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024

Loans & Finance

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Loans & Finance

PAPER REVOLUT
PAPER REVOLUTION
74% of paper and 83% of paper-based packaging is recycled
into new products; one of the highest recycling rates
of any material in Europe!

Sources: Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI), 2020 and Eurostat, 2018.
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42 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024 2GM V2

SPORTS ROUND-UP:
RESULTS & FIXTURES
BRITISH ATHLETICS

A trend
AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS FINAL
NIGERIA (1) 1 IVORY COAST (0)2
Troost-Ekong 38 Kessie 62
Haller 81
BASKETBALL
BBL CHAMPIONSHIP - Bristol Flyers 81
Surrey Scorchers 94, Caledonia Gladiators
93 Leicester Riders 97, Manchester Giants
85 Newcastle Eagles 106, Sheffield Sharks 79
London Lions 89.
KERR . . . record breaker
CRICKET

Magical
SECOND ONE DAY INTERNATIONAL
Sri Lanka v Afghanistan
Pallekele: Sri Lanka 308-6 (50 overs;
Asalanka 97no; Mendis 61; Samarawickrama

Mo-ment
52; Omarzai 3-56); Afghanistan 153 (33.5

& pace
overs; Zurmatai 63;Zadran 54; de Silva 4-27).
Sri Lanka win by 155 runs (Sri Lanka
lead series 2-0).

for Josh
SECOND TWENTY20 INTERNATIONAL
Australia v West Indies
Adelaide: Australia 241-4 (20 overs; G J
Maxwell 120no); West Indies 207-9 (20 overs;
R Powell 63; Stoinis 3-36). Australia win
by 34 runs (Australia lead series 2-0). By HARRY TALBOT
ICC U19 MEN’S WORLD CUP FINAL
India v Australia JOSH KERR underlined his
Benoni: Australia 253-7 (50 overs, Singh Paris Olympics credentials
55); India 174 (43.5 overs). Australia win
by 79 runs. by breaking the indoor
two-mile world record in
CYCLING New York.
TOUR OF OMAN: Stage 2 (Al Sifah to The Scot made good on
Quarayyat, 170.4km) - 1 F Fisher-Black (NZ)
UAE Team Emirates 4h 4m 04s, 2 L Lamper- a pledge to take the

setter
ti (US) Soudal Quick-Step +2s, 6 A Yates record from Mo Farah
(GB) UAE Team Emirates all at same time.
Overall - 1 Fisher-Black 8h 27m 22s, with victory at the Mill-
2 Lamperti +6s, 6 A Yates +12. rose Games in 8:00.67.
WOMEN’S UAE TOUR: Stage 4 It was a serious
(Abu Dhabi, 105km) - 1 A Kraak (Hol) FDJ-Su- statement from Kerr, who
ez 2h 27m 33s. Overall - 1 L Kopecky (Bel)
Team SD Worx-Protime 11h 16m 51s, 2 N covered the second mile
Bradbury (Aus) CANYON//SRAM Racing in a shade over three
+13s, 3 M Garcia (Spa) Liv AlUla Jayco +44. minutes and 57 seconds.
CLASICA DE ALMERIA (Spain, 192.3km) -
1 O Kooij (Hol) Team Visma | Lease a Bike
That pulled him clear of
4hrs 11m 29s, 2 M Moschetti (Ita) Q36.5 Pro lone rival Grant Fisher,
Cycling Team at same time. who set a US record just
GOLF outside Farah’s old
QATAR MASTERS (Doha): Final Rnd benchmark of 8:03.40.
(GB & Irl unless stated) - 274 R Hoshino (Jpn) Kerr, 26, said: “That
69 68 69 68, 275 U Coussaud (Fra) 71 68
67 69, 276 S Jamieson 72 71 68 65, 277 T
was so hard.
McKibbin 69 70 68 70, 278 J Campillo (Spa) “Running two four-
70 70 69 69, 279 R Hoejgaard (Den) 73 66 67 minute miles back-to-
73, A Rozner (Fra) 73 68 70 68, P Waring 69
71 68 71, 280 E Ferguson 70 71 66 73, A Wu
back is a lot harder
(Chn) 67 72 70 71, R Mansell 72 70 69 69, H than you think.
Barron (Aus) 68 67 74 71, 281 S Bairstow 72 “I’m so glad I was

SPEEDSTER NEITA’S
67 69 73, J Davidson 72 71 69 69. able to come off and
KENYA LADIES OPEN (Vipingo): Final not only get the win
Rnd (GB & Irl unless stated) - 280 S Tan
(Sgp) 73 70 67 70, 284 A Fanali (Ita) 70 73 67 but that record. That
74, 288 A Pelaez (Spa) 74 71 72 71, A Hew- shows the level of ath-
son 75 71 71 71, M de Roey (Bel) 76 72 70
lete I’ve become.”

LOVE OF FASHION
70, C Tamburlini (Swi) 72 71 73 72, N Guseva
(Rus) 72 70 74 72, 289 A Foersterling (Ger) Kerr may reveal today
72 72 76 69, S Kibsgaard Nielsen (Den) 70 76 if he is entering the world
72 71, A Utama (Tha) 71 74 71 73.
indoor championships in
ICE HOCKEY Glasgow next month.
ELITE LEAGUE - Coventry Blaze 3 Sheffield Fellow Scot Laura Muir
Steelers 6, Dundee Stars 2 Belfast Giants 3,
Guildford Flames 2 Fife Flyers 3, Manchester is already focused on that
Storm 1 Cardiff Devils 6, Nottingham Panthers event after winning the
3 Glasgow Clan 2. women’s two miles, adding
By ROB MAUL
RUGBY UNION to her British records.
GUINNESS SIX NATIONS FASHION-LOVING Daryll Neita She clocked 9:04.84 to
IRELAND (19) 36 ITALY (0) 0
is shining on both the track better Lisa Dobriskey’s
Ireland - Tries: Crowley, Sheehan (2), Conan,
and the red carpet. long-standing UK mark but
Lowe, Nash. Cons: Crowley (2), H. Byrne.
P W D L B F A Pts Britain’s second fastest-ever was out-sprinted off the
Ireland 2 2 0 0 2 74 17 10 woman loves to wear high-end final bend by Medina Eisa.
England 2 2 0 0 0 43 38 8 clothes outside of sweaty track kit. However, the Ethiopian
Scotland 2 1 0 1 1 43 46 5 And those who will follow her was disqualified for a lane
France 2 1 0 1 0 37 54 4
Wales 2 0 0 2 3 40 43 3
journey to the Paris 2024 Olym- violation as Muir, 30, was
Italy 2 0 0 2 1 24 63 1 pics should realise she has a pas- promoted into first place
ALLIANZ PREMIERSHIP WOMEN’S sion away from the day job of in her first race of 2024.
RUGBY - Exeter Chiefs 64 Sale Sharks 5, running — after being spotted by She had completed the
Gloucester-Hartpury 24 Bristol Bears 19. Kate Moss’ first modelling agency. formalities mid-race of
P W D L B F A Pts Neita, who finished second in earning the 3,000m quali-
Saracens 10 9 0 1 9 423 146 45 the women’s 60 metres at the
Glouc-Hart 9 9 0 0 8 282 171 44
Meeting de Paris yesterday, said: fying mark of 8:37.00
Exeter 10 7 0 3 10 373 206 38
“I studied fashion at college. At amid what was ratified as
Bristol 10 6 0 4 7 276 167 31
Loughboro 9 4 0 5 6 206 256 22 the time people were so confused. the second-best time ever
Harlequins 10 3 0 7 8 242 286 20 “They were like, ‘Why aren’t for the little-run distance.
Ealing 9 2 0 7 5 196 308 13 you doing sports science?’. But
that’s not my interest.
Kiptum is
Leicester 10 2 0 8 5 183 368 13
Sale 9 1 0 8 4 116 389 8
COOL RUNNING . . . Neita on track
“I might be good at sports and
RUGBY LEAGUE do it every day but when it comes there yet where I’m thinking

CHALLENGE CUP 3RD RND - Batley 48
Workington 18, Bradford 48 North Wales 2,
Dewsbury 8 York 14, Halifax 32 Whitehaven
4, Hunslet 14 Keighley 22, Rochdale 24 Mid-
lands Hurricanes 20, Swinton 50 West Hull 6,
Thatto Heath Crusaders 0 Featherstone 72,
Widnes 50 Doncaster 16.
TENNIS
ATP OPEN 13 (Marseille): Final -
U Humbert (Fra) bt G Dimitrov (Bul) 6-4 6-3.
ATP DALLAS OPEN (Dallas, USA): Final
- T Paul (USA) bt M Giron (USA) 7-6 (7-3)
5-7 6-3.
WTA TRANSYLVANIA OPEN
(Cluj-Napoca, Romania): Final - K Pliskova
(Cze) bt A Bogdan (Rom) 6-4 6-3.
WTA ABU DHABI OPEN (UAE):
Final - E Rybakina (Kaz) bt D Kasatkina
(Rus) 6-1 6-4.
ATP CORDOBA OPEN (Argentina):
Semi-finals - F Bagnis (Arg) bt F Coria
(Arg) 6-3 7-5; L Darderi (Ita) bt S Baez (Arg)
6-1 3-6 6-3.
TODAY’S SPORT
PREMIER LEAGUE
Crystal Palace v Chelsea ............ 8.0
(Live on Sky Sports Main Event)
CRICKET
Second Test Match—day 1 of 5: New
Zealand v South Africa (Hamilton, 10pm).
SNOOKER
Welsh Open (Llandudno).
TENNIS
Qatar TotalEnergies Open (Doha).
ATP Delray Beach Open (Florida).
ATP ABN AMRO Open (Rotterdam,).
ATP Argentina Open (Buenos Aires).
to being creative or having an
outlet, I’m interested in fashion.
“I was signed to Storm Model
Management. They’re pretty big.
They actually scouted Kate Moss
when she was younger.
“During the off-season, I went
to Milan Fashion week. I sat
front row for the Missoni show.
“I’m always doing bits in the
fashion space — and I love it.
“People always ask me what I’d
do if I wasn’t in track and it’d
definitely be something in fash-
ion. It’s the other side to me.”
Athletes sometimes do ‘walk-
ins’ before competitions and
American sprint star Noah Lyles
has brought style to the sport.
Neita, 27, said: “I don’t see why
being a sporty person means you
cannot also be cool or fashionable.
“Yes, running fast is the main
thing. But life is also about who
you are as a person.
“I feel people are tapping into
their hobbies more and you’re
seeing that with their fashion.
“Noah is always dressed in
something cool. He does ask me
sometimes: ‘Are you going to walk
before the race?’. I don’t think I’m
dead at 24
about my pre-race outfit.
“Maybe next season you’ll see me
in a couple of looks before a race.”
Neita, who finished fifth in the
women’s 200m final at last year’s
Worlds, has recently enjoyed a MARATHON world-record
warm-weather training camp in holder Kelvin Kiptum died
South Africa, which was funded in a car crash last night.
by National Lottery money. His coach Gervais Hakiz-
Neita added: “I’m on the imana was also killed.
World-Class Programme. Kenya’s Kiptum (below),
“Without it, we would be train- 24, set the world record
ing in the snow in the UK! at the Chicago Marathon
“I train with people from differ- in October with a time of
ent nations and they don’t get
2:00.35.
anything from their federations. It beat the
And yet they are medallists. We
are very, very fortunate.” 2:01.09 set
l National Lottery players have transformed athletics by his com-
in the UK with more than £300million invested since patriot Eliud
Lottery funding began. They support elite athletes to Kipchoge in
win medals on the world stage and have invested in
clubs, facilities and programmes across the country to
2022.
enable more people to take part in the sport. Seb Coe,
president of
World Athletics, posted on
X: “We are shocked and
deeply saddened to learn
of the devastating loss.
“It was only earlier this
week in Chicago that I
NEIT AND SMART . . . was able to officially ratify
Neita at a Milan show his historic time. An
incredible athlete leaving
an incredible legacy.”
 Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 43

CRICKET SHOCK FOR ENGLAND

THAT’S BURGESS . . . changes

Sam hits
ground

OVER
running
By GARY CARTER
SAM BURGESS says talent
is not the issue at
Warrington as he sets
about changing mindsets.
The rugby league icon is
taking Wolves back to
basics — including joining
players for most of a
70km running plan in a
pre-season army camp with
elite serviceman-turned-TV
star Ant Middleton.
Burgess, who conquered

Leach’s tour ends after

the NRL at South Sydney,
said: “I’m still putting my
finger on it but something
needs to change.
“I’m not disrespecting
the team and what we’ve
done before, or previous

latest cruel injury blow

JACK ’N THE LAD . . . Leach with Bashir
JACK LEACH’S injury and illness-
ravaged career suffered another
setback when he was ruled out
of England’s tour of India.
Spinner Leach, 32, will fly home
after not recovering from the knee
injury he suffered while fielding on
the opening day of the First Test.
It is the latest in a string of health
problems for Leach, who was hurt
during his first day’s cricket since
recovering from a stress fracture of
the back that kept him out of last
summer’s Ashes.
The injury was diagnosed as a
haematoma and, although he was
able to bowl 36 overs in England’s
victory in Hyderabad, he missed the
Second Test defeat.
He was also one of a handful of
players laid low by a sickness bug
that hit the squad last week.
The injury has not responded to
treatment and, when the team return
to India today from their mid-tour
break in Abu Dhabi to prepare for
Thursday’s Third Test in Rajkot,
Leach will fly to the UK. England
By JOHN
ETHERIDGE
are not calling for a replacement
because they have been impressed
by the novice trio of Tom Hartley,
Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Bashir.
Joe Root has also bowled 64 overs
in the first two Tests.
But the loss of Leach as senior
spinner is a significant blow.
The big selection dilemma for
skipper Ben Stokes and coach Bren-
don McCullum for the Third Test is
whether to replace one of the
spinners with a quick bowler —
either Ollie Robinson or Mark Wood
— to operate alongside Jimmy
Anderson.
Leach has Crohn’s disease, which
requires regular medication and led
to a spell in hospital in New
Zealand in 2019 when he contracted
sepsis and feared for his life.
Other problems have included
concussion and being accused of
BAD NEWS . . . Leach hurt
his knee in the First Test
having an illegal bowling action.
Leach has 126 wickets in 36 Tests
and is one of the most popular
members of England’s squad.
He got himself fitter than ever for
the India tour with ex-England
spinner Graeme Swann saying after
a training camp: “He took his shirt
off and I thought he was posing for
a calendar. He was ripped to shreds,
I couldn’t believe it.”
England are already without their
star young batsman Harry Brook,
who pulled out of the tour before
the start for personal reasons. There
is no indication that he will return.
India are also without big names
and none bigger than superstar Virat
Kohli, who confirmed on Saturday
that he will miss the final three
Tests for personal reasons after
initially withdrawing only from the
first two.
Fast bowler Mohammed Shami is
also out of the entire series with an
ankle injury. Ravi Jadeja (hamstring)
and KL Rahul (thigh), who both
missed the Second Test, face fitness
tests this week.
coaches, but they’ve not
had much success for the
last few years, have they?
“We’ve a very skilful
team, so I’ve tried to
bring it back a bit and get
the basics done well.”
Burgess, 35, still looks
like he could play but
a debilitating shoulder
injury means there is little
chance of that happening.
He showed his fitness by
running 68km during the
camp — the extra two
that his players did proved
why he is the coach.
Burgess admitted: “They
were carrying each other
up and down hills, I wasn’t
doing that. They jumped
in water, too. Stuff that!
“I could see the players’
character when they were
under duress.
“But you can’t change a
mindset overnight.”
A pre-season loss to
Leigh and a major injury
to prop Luke Thomas have
tempered the Wolves hype.
But Burgess knows
something had to change
if the Wolves are to end a
69-year title drought.
He said: “As a player, I
was always involved in
decision making, so I’ll
draw on that experience.”
44 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024

SIX NATIONS ENGLAND

CHILLED
DAN AND
TO THE
SIX APPEAL . . . Nash dives in to score Ireland’s final try

DUSTED

MARO!
By MARK MASON
DAN SHEEHAN scored two tries as Ireland
blanked Italy to stay on course for historic back-
to-back Six Nations Grand Slams.
The hooker’s brace helped the Irish back up their
sublime opening 38-17 victory in France — with Jack
Crowley, Jack Conan, James Lowe and Calvin Nash
also crossing in the bonus-point win.
Andy Farrell’s side became the first Irish team to
prevent an opposition side scoring in the tournament
since 1987. It was not as
smooth as their win in
Marseille, with some Ireland................36
sloppy and scrappy play
— but they barely gave
Italy........................0
Italy a sniff.
The reigning Six Nations tries and nice perfor-
champions also had a mances by individuals.
Robbie Henshaw score “But we got a bit
ruled out for a double clunky in parts.”
movement at Lansdowne Italy chief Gonzalo
Road yesterday as they Quesada was unhappy
replaced England at the after his players showed
top of the table. little of the promise they

Itoje: Stay composed & we

Boss Farrell, whose demonstrated in the 27-24
men will host winless loss to the English.
Wales in a fortnight, said: The Argentine said:
“We’re happy enough and “Ireland might be the
we got what we wanted best team in the world —
in the game with a but we were very far
bonus-point win. from what we want to do
“Keeping them to zero out there on the pitch.

can bolt to the title

is very pleasing and “We were too passive

PATS SCOT
there were some nice in defence.”

TO HURT
HARRY PATERSON was left
stunned before his first
call-up — and then again
at the final whistle.
Gregor Townsend drafted
the rookie Edinburgh
full-back, 22, into the
Scotland line-up just FOUR
hours before kick-off when
Kyle Steyn’s wife went into
labour.
Making just the ninth pro
appearance of his career,
Paterson was promoted to
the No 15 shirt with Stuart
Hogg retired and Blair
Kinghorn crocked.
But he was denied a
famous Scotland win on
his shock debut by a
controversial TMO call to
rule out Sam Skinner’s
‘try’ in stoppage time.
It meant France held
out for a 20-16 win.
Paterson, who had an
outstanding game, said: “I
was just confused at the
end of the game. It was
By FRANK LEWIS
just gutting. At the
BLOOD ’N
THUNDER . . .
Itoje’s England
are in title hunt
MARO ITOJE believes
England’s ability to absorb
and bounce back from
“thunderbolt moments”
could lead them to Six
Nations glory.
CHIEF SPORTS REPORTER
said: “In every Test match, whoever
start of the day, I Steve Borthwick’s men
kind of figured what had Ollie Chessum and
Ethan Roots in the sin
would be happening
when I got the phone bin at the same time and
were later trailing with
call.
eight minutes left.
“There was about five But the Red Rose came
or ten minutes of panic
back to make it two
but then I stabilised a wins out of two.
bit and cooled down.” While Twickenham
Head coach Townsend
celebrated, the real
said: “It’s one of the best challenge for England
debuts I’ve ever seen.” starts now, with games
Scotland led 13-10 at against Scotland, Ireland
the break through Ben and then France after a
White’s converted try and break this week.
But lineout leaper Itoje,
two of three penalties part of the white wall of
from skipper Finn Russell.
resistance that snuffed out
Gael Fickou and Louis
any chance of a Welsh
Bielle-Biarrey got France’s rebound from George
tries and they edged ahead Ford’s match-winning
before the late drama. penalty, suggested
Ref Nic Berry deliberated Borthwick and his
with TMO Brian MacNeice men are building the
for several minutes before strength of character
deciding Skinner had been that can land a first
held up. title since 2020. Itoje
By MARTIN
LIPTON
you play, there are thunderbolt
moments. In the first half, we had a
few of those and it is just about
staying composed and staying in it.
“There have been some well-
documented games when we didn’t
start well and then continued to spiral.
That is what we are trying to change.
“Perhaps in the past when we’ve
been down, we’ve tried to chase the
game a bit too much.
“But what we are trying to do now
is trust in our systems, trust in our
players and trust in our plan.
“We believe that if we consistently
do the right thing over a period of
time, we will get where we need to
be. That’s what we are trying to build.
“The best England teams of the past
decades have always stayed in the
fight, been competitive. We want to
position ourselves as one of those
teams. That’s a non-negotiable.”
The two sin bins came as England
were heavily penalised in the first half.
Chessum saw yellow when his
shoulder made a glancing contact
with the head of Welsh prop Keiron
Assiratti, even though he had his
hands on the ball. Roots followed for
dragging down a rolling maul as it
threatened the England line, giving
Wales seven points for the penalty try.
England responded, the brilliant Ben
Earl powering over from the base of
the scrum after Itoje’s stunning hit on
rookie Welsh fly-half Ioan Lloyd
earned the put-in yards from the posts.
But England were robbed of two
more points when Kiwi whistler James
Doleman ruled Ford’s half-step to the
side was the start of his run-up.
Wales then capitalised with another
score, Alex Mann running in unop-
posed just before the break, to see
England trailing by nine at half-time.
But Itoje and Co stepped it up,
conceding just a single second-half
penalty. It hit his pre-match target of
seven, news of which brought a huge
smile to the second row’s face.
Centre Fraser Dingwall was fed by
Elliot Daly’s excellent hands for his
first England try in the corner before
Ford, who missed that conversion as
well, landed the key penalty after his
outstanding 50/22 kick.
Itoje added: “We’ve got a little bit of
momentum now.
“Over the two games we’ve been
figuring out problems and the chall-
enge is to be more consistent and get
more control so it doesn’t take to
half-time to fix things. But two wins

16 WALES 14
SIX NATIONS TABLE
P W D L F A Bon Pts
1 IRELAND 2 2 0 0 74 17 2 10
2 ENGLAND 2 2 0 0 43 38 0
3 SCOTLAND 2 1 0 1 43 46 1
4 FRANCE 2 1 0 1 37 54 0
5 WALES 2 0 0 2 40 43 3
6 ITALY 2 0 0 2 24 63 1
out of two means we’re in the game,
we’re in the tournament.
“We’re putting ourselves in a positive
position, which perhaps we may not
have done in previous campaigns.
“If you look at our performances
during the World Cup, we built through-
out the tournament. I think we’re going
to do the same in this Six Nations.”
Dingwall was equally thrilled at his
“unbelievable” first try.
The Northampton centre admitted
his first Six Nations experience has
YELLOW PERIL . . . Chessum is binned
HQ PHEW . . . Ben
Earl (left) and Theo
Dan (right) celebrate
win at Twickenham
but Wales’ Aaron
Wainwright is left
down in the mouth
8 “You have your routine.
5 Twickenham loss to Wale
4 of their games at HQ over
3 is 13 wins in the last 18
1 the Red Rose.
already been a “whirlwind”. He said:
“I just managed to put myself on the
edge. I kept Elliot inside me knowing
the ball would end up with me and I
could hopefully get the score.
“It’s all a bit of a blur but the
emotions I ran through were crazy.
Everything came out of me.”
Borthwick, whose players will reas-
semble at Twickenham on Wednesday,
suggested another second-half response
— having also trailed at the break in
Rome — was a significant staging post.
ETHAN BOOTS . . . Roots joins Chessum
Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 45
CONFUSION . . . Ford kick
George
fear for
future of
kicking
By MARTIN LIPTON
ENGLAND matchwinner
George Ford left
Twickenham still shaking
his head over his
conversion cock-up.
Ford was stunned
when New Zealand ref
James Doleman allowed
Wales to charge down
his kick following Ben
Earl’s score after the
fly-half made a slight step
to his left.
The decision even saw
coach Steve Borthwick
leave his seat in the stands
to seek clarification.
And while Ford’s trusty
right boot had the final
word, the Sale man
ANOTHER ONE ENGLAND’S LAST
admitted: “It still doesn’t
make sense to me.
TWICKED OFF EIGHT v WALES AT HOME
Mar 2016 W25-21
“I was trying to use the
full shot-clock time as we
had men in the bin.
SINCE their 2015 World Cup May 2016 W27-13 I was at the back of my
Feb 2018 stance — and if adjusting
England have won all eights, W12-6 your feet like that is
Aug 2019 W33-19 initiating your run-up,
the Welsh — and in total
it Mar 2020 W33-30 then . . . well, I’m not too
sure to be honest.
between the two sides for Feb 2022 W23-19 “If that is initiating,
Aug 2023 W19-17 then some of us kickers
Saturday are going to have to stand
W16-14 like statues at the back of
our run-up now.
“As a kicker, you want
to get a feel. Sometimes
you don’t quite feel right
at the back of your
run-up, so you adjust it a
bit and think, ‘Right, I’ve
got it now’.
The coach said: “We are growing. We played the second half very smart. “What it means for us
There’s still plenty of errors but what And when you’ve got good players as kickers is that we’ve got
pleases me is the character we’re well, gradually we’ll get more to be ultra-diligent with
developing in the players. cohesiveness, more experience our set-up and process.
“In difficult circumstances they believe together, train more together and we’ll “If they’re going to go
they’re going to find a way and they get where we want to be.” down that route and look
keep fighting. They stay in the fight. For Wales, there was no getting for stuff like that, we
“If you look back to the last Six around the result — especially after
Nations, even the games before the leaving themselves with too much to can’t afford that.”
World Cup, the last quarter of do last week, eventually losing 27-26 Ford’s most critical
matches was weak for us — we to Scotland having been 27-0 down. moment, though, came as
conceded too many points. But we’ve Captain Dafydd Jenkins said: “It’s he booted England in front
addressed that as a team, tactically. extremely disappointing. I’m proud of for the first time after he
the boys for sticking in it every time had earned a Red Rose
but it’s international rugby and it’s all lineout eight yards out.
about winning. Two losses hurts a lot.” He added: “You’ve got
Wales’ great frustration is that, to be aggressive with the
having put themselves in a position to
claim their first victory at Twicken- kick to beat them into
ham since 2015, they allowed the hosts that space at this level. I
to take control of the second half. had to be aggressive and
But boss Warren Gatland said: “Our thankfully it worked out.”
focus is getting better from game to Borthwick, who fielded
game and I think we’ve done that. an unchanged starting
“Probably the challenge for us is just side, may have the chance
knowing how important winning is. to refresh the team for
“A number of players are coming the Calcutta Cup clash at
from regional teams and have proba-
bly got used to not having that ‘W’ Murrayfield in a fortnight.
next to their name after performances, Centre Manu Tuilagi is
so it’s important we start doing that. close to being fit, while
“One of the great things about play- the coach is also hopeful
ing for Wales is when they come into of hooker Luke Cowan-
this environment, they come in with Dickie coming back.
confidence, believing they’re good Borthwick said: “Manu’s
SINNERS . . . England pair sit it out in sin bin enough to win.” training well and he’s
running well. Every report
I get is positive so far.”
46 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
EUROPEAN FOOTBALL
TUCH
AND
GO
Heat on as Bayern are cut adrift
THOMAS TUCHEL is under
mounting pressure after Bayern
England star Harry Kane. Eyebrows
Munich were humiliated by were also raised when he claimed a
title rivals Bayer Leverkusen. game Leverkusen dominated from the
A 3-0 stroll strengthened the
credentials of Leverkusen boss Xabi
Alonso, the front-runner to take
over from Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool
at the end of the season.
And it left Tuchel — the man who
led Chelsea to Champions League
glory in 2021 — with his reputation
in his homeland in tatters.
Supporters reacted furiously to a
defeat that left Bayern — Bundesliga
champs for the last 11 seasons —
trailing their rivals by five points.
Tuchel’s post-match comments also
went down badly, with German
media quick to join the pile-on.
Heads were scratched when the
50-year-old admitted he had no idea
how Alonso had been able to nullify
INJURY BOOST FOR BELLINGHAM
By JON WEST
first kick “didn’t feel like a 3-0 loss”.
And a promise that he would play
a back-three featuring Englishman
Eric Dier in future matches led to
calls for his instant dismissal.
A Bild article thundered: “If he is
actually serious, he should be fired
immediately!”
Yet the former Borussia Dortmund
chief has already had to fend off
speculation that Stuttgart’s Sebastian
Hoeness will replace him if Bayern
fail to win the title.
Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen
made it clear he would be staying
put . . . for now.
He said: “Nothing changes. We
knew beforehand it would be a
difficult game. We still have 13
JUDE BELLINGHAM should be fit
for England duty next month as
expected to be out for two to three
Real Madrid calmed fears over his weeks. A statement on the club’s
injury setback. official website read: “Following tests
The midfielder hobbled off after
scoring twice in their 4-0 win over
LaLiga title rivals Girona.
And Los Blancos, who moved five
points clear of Girona at the top of
the table, revealed the ex-Birming-
ham and Borussia Dortmund star
had suffered a sprained ankle. He is
2GM
match days left and will hope for one
or two mistakes from Leverkusen.”
The loss left Kane shell-shocked —
the Three Lions striker left
Tottenham last summer to get his
hands on a career-first team trophy.
But he managed just 18 touches
and zero shots on target against
opponents who had ex-Arsenal man
Granit Xhaka running midfield.
Tuchel admitted: “We were not
able to carve out any chances, even
later in the game when we had five
or six attacking players.
“I don’t have an explanation for
why we did not get Harry more
involved in the game.”
Josip Stanisic, Alex Grimaldo and
Jeremie Frimpong were Leverkusen’s
goal heroes, with Frimpong finding
an empty net after Bayern keeper
Manuel Neuer went up for a corner.
Stanisic’s opener was even more
painful as the defender is on loan
By TONY LITTLE
carried out today on Jude Bellingham
by the Real Madrid medical services,
he has been diagnosed with a sprain
in his left ankle. His recovery will be
monitored.”
Bellingham took his goals tally to
20 in 31 appearances in all competi-
tions for Carlo Ancelotti’s side before
NOT BAY OF PLENTY . . .
Tuchel’s men are now five
points behind the leaders —
meaning Kane (below) may
fail to win a trophy yet again
TOP OF TABLE
PLD GD PTS
1 Bayer Leverkusen 21 +41 55
2 Bayern Munich 21 +37 50
3 Stuttgart 21 +22 43
4 Borussia Dortmund 21 +17 40
5 RB Leipzig 21 +18 37
from Bayern! Forward Thomas
Muller, on as a sub with his side
2-0 down, backed Tuchel.
The World Cup winner, 34, said:
“Sometimes we have to speak about
us players. It’s not just the coach.
“We have many international
players at the highest level, we need
to step up our game.”
But he added: “What we’re missing
is the guts and some freedom to play.
“Leverkusen took risks, looked for
solutions. We’re playing from A to
B, B to C, and nobody takes risks.”
Bild had the last word. They
wrote: “Under Tuchel, the team radi-
ates no joy, no enthusiasm, no desire
for football in many games.
“A coach who constantly com-
plains his players cannot implement
their supposedly great training per-
formance in the game is a disgrace
to himself. Tuchel just can’t get
Bayern under control!”
being forced off in the 57th minute
having earlier turned his ankle
during Saturday’s match.
He received lengthy treatment after
a collision with Pablo Torre and
succumbed to his injury after initially
trying to continue.
Bellingham is set to miss tomor-
row’s last-16 Champions League tie in
Leipzig but will hope to return to
fitness in time for England’s games
against Brazil and Belgium next
month.
GLORY . . . Serge Aurier
Think it’s
Hall over
...it is now
Nigeria..................1
Ivory Coast.........2
By JON WEST
SEBASTIEN HALLER put
his health nightmare
behind him by winning the
Africa Cup of Nations for
hosts Ivory Coast.
The ex-West Ham striker,
diagnosed with cancer in
2022, stuck out a foot on
81 minutes to turn home
Simon Adingra’s cross.
A tearful Haller (below)
said: “We dreamt of this
moment a lot of times.
“The scenes of jubilation
are also what the country
deserves and I am hopeful
it will do good
for everyone.”
Franck
Kessie’s free
header had
cancelled out
Nigeria’s 38th
-minute open-
er from William Troost-
Ekong. Then Haller, now
at Borussia Dortmund,
secured Ivory Coast their
third title — after a roller-
coaster ride to the final.
They sacked manager
Jean-Louis Gasset after
thinking they were out at
the group stage — only to
scrape through as one of
four third-place finishers.
They then appointed
Emerse Fae as interim only
after loan talks with ex-boss
Herve Renard broke down.
If that were not enough,
the Elephants just squeezed
through their last-16 tie
with Senegal and also the
quarter-final against Mali.
Hend of
the run
By JON WEST
JORDAN HENDERSON
could not prevent Ajax’s
nine-game unbeaten run
ending at Heerenveen.
The hosts won 3-2 to
prevent the Dutch giants,
bottom in November, from
moving up to fourth.
England ace Henderson,
33, was playing his second
game for Ajax after cutting
short an unhappy spell in
Saudi Arabia.
Heerenveen raced into a
3-0 lead thanks to Pelle van
Amersfoort’s double and a
goal from Osame Sahraoui.
But half-time sub Chuba
Akpom added to Pawel
Bochniewicz’s own goal to
set up an exciting finish.
Akpom, who signed from
Middlesbrough, thought he
had levelled in injury time
but VAR could not confirm
his header crossed the line.
It was Ajax’s first league
defeat since John van ’t
Schip took over as boss in
November.
 Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 47

PREM C PALACE v CHELSEA

8pm

HE’LL ROYSE GUARDIOLA . . . alert

Pep aims
to Cope

ABOVE FLAK
By MARTIN BLACKBURN
PEP GUARDIOLA has told
in-form Manchester City
not to underestimate
Copenhagen tomorrow.
The Champions League
kings will be expected to
book a place in the
quarter-finals after being
handed what looks a
favourable last-16 draw.
But the Danish side
came through a tough
group to reach the knock-
out stage — they beat

Poch knows Palace pal

Manchester United at
home and also drew with
Bayern Munich, although
the German side were
already through by then.
City also failed to win

can handle terrace fury

when they played a group
game against Copenhagen
18 months ago.
Boss Guardiola said:
“We played them last sea-
son and didn’t win there
so I’ll need to watch them
carefully before we play.
MAURICIO POCHETTINO thinks By ANDREW DILLON “From my experience
Roy Hodgson can handle the the first leg of the Cham-
under more pressure than Pochet-
stick being hurled at him as tino. Anti-board protests and heated pions League last-16
Crystal Palace struggle. exchanges with players symbolise games are always tricky.”
Eagles boss Hodgson, 76, is get- Palace’s current state of turmoil. Defender Nathan Ake
ting flak for two wins in 14 games, Poch has to put up with stick welcomed the return of
which included last weekend’s 4-1 every time his young Chelsea team European action, saying:
defeat by fierce rivals Brighton. lose a game, given £1billion has “We love this competition.
Chelsea manager Poch and been invested in them. It’s special. Everyone is
Hodgson are mates, resulting from He is not in daily contact with looking forward to it.”
the former England boss handing Hodgson but says they share a core
international debuts to the Argen- camaraderie as they battle in the
tine’s players when he was chief at bear pit of English football.
Southampton and Tottenham. Pochettino said: “No need to talk.
Ahead of tonight’s Selhurst Park In football, sometimes you win a
battle, Pochettino said: “Criticism is game and people send a text con- OLD PALS’ ACT . . .
part of the game, it is football. He gratulations and you lose a game Hodgson and Poch have
has the experience to manage every and they want to commiserate you a warm friendship
situation. It will be good to see because I feel so sorry.
him and for sure we will share a “But we are professional, we
very nice time there. understand the situation and we
“I will enjoy the momentum. We know football — and we don’t need
are not interested in talking about to send a text when you lose or
every single thing that happened. need to win in a period like this.
“From the beginning when I “We know each other and how MATONDO . . . goals
arrived at Southampton, he was the we need to act and behave. People

coach of the national team and he
was always watching our games
and sharing time with us. We cre-
ated a very good relationship.
Rob texts
know when you feel the support.
“We are focused on our job and
don’t need one message when we

“From the first moment, the feel-
ing was very good between us.
Sometimes you meet some guy and
you say, ‘OK, I won’t see him any
more’. With him it was very good.”
Hodgson promoted Luke Shaw,
Rickie Lambert and Nathaniel
Clyne among others to the Three
Lions team from Poch’s Saints side.
And the 2016 Euros campaign
contained a spine of Harry Kane,
Dele Alli and Eric Dier from
Pochettino’s time at Spurs.
Hodgson is arguably the only
manager in the Premier League
for Rabbi
really know people care for you.”
Pochettino is hoping the momen-
tum from last week’s 3-1 FA Cup
demolition of Aston Villa will carry
through to the league, where Chel-
sea have not been so sparkling. By PHIL CADDEN
He said: “They are a young team
but we have a good balance.
“The problem is not that the
UNDER PRESSURE (All comps) RABBI MATONDO is firmly
in the sights of Wales
players are so young. The problem boss Robert Page.
is the squad — 16 or 17 players
Hodgson RECORDS THIS SEASON Pochettino The wideman, 23, has
arrived new from the beginning of P27 W7 D7 L13 F30 A46 Prem pos 15 P32 W15 D6 L11 F57 A44 Prem pos 11 scored in both of Rangers’
the season. last two league games
“It is not about if you have a 19 against Livingston and
or 20-year-old. You need to be LAST EIGHT PREMIER LEAGUE GAMES Aberdeen.
more consistent like a team.” And Page is monitoring
L D D L W L W L L W L W W W L L
the ex-Manchester City
ace ahead of the March 21

WHARTON PASSES CHEICKS

BRIGHT SPOT . . . Wharton
ROY HODGSON has hailed By JACK ROSSER
January signing Adam
Wharton as a silver lining could figure against visitors
Chelsea tonight.
amid the gloom of Crystal Boss Hodgson said: “We
Palace’s desperate run. have missed Doucoure but
The Eagles, who have won the club has solved his tem-
just two in 14, splashed out porary absence, because he
£18million on Wharton to will be back, with Wharton.
bring him in from Black- “We’ve been very
burn last month as cover for impressed with his early
the injured Cheick Doucoure. work here and he does
Doucoure is one of four exactly those things that we
key injured players along thought were missing.
with Michael Olise, Eberechi “I thought his debut was
Eze and Marc Guehi. good and he has been a
Midfielder Wharton, 20, bright spot on the horizon.
came on for his debut in the “This is a bad spot but we
4-1 loss at Brighton and have still got 15 games left
and the players will come
back and we will win more
games when they do.”
Matheus Franca, 19, is
another still waiting for his
first league start for Palace.
The Brazilian striker played
34 minutes at the Amex last
weekend, his longest Prem
appearance to date.
Hodgson said: “When he
next gets a chance he will
have to build on that and
show his team-mates can trust
him — and show the fans, too.
“Because players with his
ability will always show nice
touches and nice things but
for us to improve and be
good as a team, we need
someone who will do that
for the entire 90 minutes. As
Olise does, as does Eze.”
Hodgson, 76, admits he
may not see out his final
season as a boss but refuses
to rule out retirement.
Asked if he would carry
on working after Palace, he
said: “I would say that’s
extremely doubtful.
“But then why should I
say necessarily I won’t work
in football because there
might be someone who
offers me something to do
within the world of football
that actually suits me.”
Euro 2024 play-off semi-fi-
nal with Finland in Cardiff.
Page said: “I’m looking
at people like Rabbi. He’s
scoring goals in the top
division in Scotland.
“I messaged him to say,
‘We are watching the min-
utes you play and keeping
tabs on you’. He’s in a
good place.”
Matondo missed out on
Wales’ last two squads for
Euro 2020 and the 2022
World Cup because he
was not playing enough.
But he has played 22
games this term and could
soon add to his 11 caps.
Page watched Wales
full-back Connor Roberts’
Leeds debut on Saturday.
Page said: “I watch
Leeds because almost half
the team is Welsh!”
48 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024

PREMIER LEAGUE A VILLA

See you,
LUIZ 67

ANGRY SCOT HAS LAST LAUGH

SHIM-DIG . . . Villa’s Douglas Luiz

By NEIL
CUSTIS
DON’T rattle Manchester
United with those goal
celebrations — you won’t like
it when they get angry.
Scott McTominay looked like a
raging Incredible Hulk as he held
out his arms and charged towards
the Red Devils faithful after
plundering a late winner in an
absolute thriller at the Villa.
It was Douglas Luiz’s shoulder
shimmy mick-take in front of
Andre Onana — after firing a 67th-
minute equaliser — that had so
enraged United’s players.
So when Diogo Dalot fired over
an 86th-minute cross and Scotland
star McTominay powered home a
header, Luiz was made to pay.
United defender Raphael Varane
— who held out his hands asking
what Luiz was playing at when the
Villa player was celebrating — got
right in the Brazilian’s face.
No doubt he was saying, ‘Don’t
look so clever now, do we’ or
something along those lines.
Referee Robert Jones moved in to
make sure it did not escalate.
Meanwhile, to the side of them it
was going crazy with McTominay
engulfed by team-mates in front of
a euphoric away following.
Only the previous weekend, West
Ham were also made to pay for
their celebratory taunts.
Mohammed Kudus had sat on the
advertising hoarding in front of the
United fans after a goal in the
Hammers’ 2-0 win at the London
Stadium in December.
So when Alejandro Garnacho
scored the first of his brace in this
month’s 3-0 win, he leapt on a
hoarding at Old Trafford and was
joined by Rasmus Hojlund and
Kobbie Mainoo.
Sat with their arms around each HEAD RUSH . . . Scott
other, it is an image which United
fans hope and believe will stand McTominay’s superb
the test of time. winner at Villa and
The three of them were bang on
form again yesterday — as were the (inset) celebrating with
whole United team. United pal Diogo Dalot
Marcus Rashford made much play
during the week of his new hobby
of completing jigsaws.
And you can’t help but wonder if gave him the opportunity. Bruno Onana slid out bravely to block the range. But when Leon Bailey also showed spirit in abundance
all the pieces are starting to come Fernandes fired the corner over shot with a knee, colliding with the drilled the ball back in, the that day as an incredible second-
together for Erik ten Hag as well. deep and Harry Maguire took to Villa player and his own defender Cameroonian’s resolve was finally half comeback saw them win 3-2.
The one piece that was really the clouds to reach it. Dalot. broken when Luiz turned the ball Including that game, United have
missing was a No 9 and in the early ‘Slabhead’ gave it an absolute In the second half, Watkins had a into the top corner. now won six and drawn one of
stages after his £64million arrival, headslab back across goal and the golden chance to mark his 150th Then came Luiz’s shimmy of their last eight — with the only
Hojlund just did not seem to fit. unmarked Hojlund turned the ball game for Villa with a goal. delight and it was game on. defeat in that run coming at
He is slotting in perfectly now, as home from close range. The striker, whose achievement in But United’s spirit shone brightly Nottingham Forest on December 30.
are all those around him. The game would ebb and flow passing his half-century in terms of as the clock ticked down. For Villa this was a third home
Hojlund’s 17th-minute opener saw from that moment on with chances Premier League goals for the club And they got their reward when defeat on the trot and Luiz went
him become the second youngest falling at both ends. was recognised before the game, Mainoo fed Dalot, who crossed for down the tunnel looking sorrier for
player in Premier League history to Onana was undoubtedly having failed to take this opportunity. McTominay to steam in with that himself than he had been around
score in five successive games — 21 his best game for United, with a Matty Cash provided the cross match-winning header. half an hour earlier.
years, seven days. string of superb saves. and Watkins — unmarked in the Ten Hag had looked a forlorn
Only Nicolas Anelka at 19 years, When Villa captain John McGinn six-yard box — seemed certain to figure on the United touchline at HOW THEY LINED UP
ASTON VILLA: Martinez, Cash, Carlos, Lenglet, Moreno
239 days was younger. released a first-half thunderbolt, score, only for Onana to stand firm about 8.30pm on Boxing Day. (Digne 87), Kamara (Diaby 65), Luiz, Bailey (Tielemans
It also made it six goals in seven the goalkeeper took flight to get his and get his body in the way. That was also against Villa who 73), McGinn (Zaniolo 87), Ramsey, Watkins.
games in all competitions for the fingertips to it. Onana made another amazing were 2-0 up at Old Trafford to MAN UNITED: Onana, Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Shaw
Danish striker and 11 for the Then when McGinn turned stop when he flung out a hand to leave United staring at a fourth (Lindelof 46), Mainoo (Amrabat 90), Casemiro, Garnacho,
season. A well-worked set-piece provider to put Ollie Watkins in, deny Clement Lenglet at point-blank defeat in five games. Ten Hag’s side Fernandes, Rashford (McTominay 73), Hojlund (Evans 90).

21
AT 21 years and seven days, Manchester United
striker Rasmus Hojlund became the second
youngest player to score in five successive
Premier League games, only behind Nicolas
Anelka for Arsenal in November 1998 (19y 239d).
9 8
EACH of Douglas Luiz’s last nine Premier League goals
have been scored at Villa Park — including all seven
in this season, in which he has his highest Prem goal
tally. His last Premier League away goal was at
Brentford last April.
 Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 49

1 MANCHESTER UNITED 2

shimmy
HOJLUND 17; McTOMINAY 86

TEN HAG
CHEST GREAT . . . United’s Hojlund celebrates at end

ON MICKEY SHAKER LUIZ

From Back Page and get it on target.
absolutely our target and Every game you win is
we’ve done it. The way massive for taking a step
we did it, I liked it. forward and confidence
“We have to catch up for the boys.
but we are not there yet.” “It’s all positive but we
McTominay’s winner have to repeat it now.”
sent the away end wild Ten Hag revealed he
after their side had spent took England defender
most of the second half Luke Shaw off at half-
under the cosh. time as a precaution.
Douglas Luiz sparked a The Dutchman said:
Villa onslaught when the “He gave some messages
midfielder cancelled out and we know his history.
Rasmus Hojlund’s first- “We couldn’t take a
half opener. risk and maybe miss him
Luiz incensed United’s for six weeks.”
stars by shimmying in Villa boss Unai Emery
the direction of United failed to celebrate his
keeper Andre Onana after 100th Prem game as a
his goal on 67 minutes. manager with a victory.
Ten Hag played down The ex-Arsenal chief
the incident but said it said: “I’m very proud of
might have sparked his our work. Everything we
players’ late revival. planned we more or less
When asked about did on the pitch.
Luiz’s celebration, he “We controlled the game,
said: “I don’t have an we created more chances
opinion about that. than them, we deserved it
“I haven’t spoken to the more than them.”
players — maybe it has This was only the third
fuelled them . . . but I of Villa’s 12 home league
don’t know. games this term they have
“I don’t think it is failed to win.
important. It is about us Spaniard Emery added:
and our game and not “Apart from the match
about the opposition.” against Manchester City,
McTominay confessed this was our best match at
PREMIER LEAGUE he was happy to be
United’s supersub again
home this season.
“But they were clinical
P W D L F A Pts despite having to start on and their goalkeeper was
Liverpool 24 16 6 2 55 2354 the bench. fantastic. The result was
Man City 23 16 4 3 56 2552 The Scotland mid- not good but the way we
Arsenal 24 16 4 4 53 2252 fielder, 27, insisted: “I played today is the way I
Tottenham 24 14 5 5 51 3647 don’t take it personally. want us to play.”
Aston Villa 24 14 4 6 50 3246 “I just want to come in Midfielder Boubacar
Man Utd 24 13 2 9 33 3341 and try and do the best I Kamara limped off on 65
Newcastle 24 11 3 10 51 3936 can for this club. minutes and the Villa
West Ham 24 10 6 8 36 4236
“It was an unbelievable boss added: “I don’t know
cross, to be fair, whipped exactly how he is but
Brighton 24 9 8 7 43 4035
with a lot of pace. I just tomorrow we will check.
Wolves 24 9 5 10 37 3932 needed it to hit my head Hopefully it’s not a lot.”

Martial’s free
Chelsea 23 9 4 10 38 3931
Fulham 24 8 5 11 33 3929
Bournemouth 23 7 6 10 31 4427
Brentford 23 7 4 12 34 3925
Crystal Palace 23 6 6 11 26 4024

to go home
Nottm Forest 24 5 6 13 30 4421
Luton 23 5 5 13 33 4520
Everton 24 8 5 11 26 3219
Burnley 24 3 4 17 25 5013
Sheff Utd 24 3 4 17 22 6013
(Everton deducted 10 points)
ANTHONY MARTIAL is set By MARTIN BLACKBURN
to be offered the chance
to return home to France some much-needed space
MATCH when his Manchester
United contract expires
on their wage bill.
Martial had hoped to
STATS this summer. finish his eight-year stay
ASTON VILLA V MAN UTD Former club Monaco on a high — but is now
and Marseille are among sidelined until April with a
23 SHOTS 17 those showing interest in groin problem.
10 SHOTS ON TARGET 5 the 28-year-old forward, Marseille, Fenerbahce
56% POSSESSION 44% currently out injured. and Saudi Arabian clubs
481 PASSES 380 United do not plan all looked at a January
419 COMPLETED PASSES 307 to take up a move but his injury
47 TOUCHES IN OPPOSITION BOX 27 12-month option to ruled a transfer out.
10 CORNERS 8 extend his deal. The France interna-
9 FOULS CONCEDED 7 RAS-MATAZZ . . . That means that tional joined United in
3/0 YELLOW/RED 2/0 Hojlund beats Martinez Martial (right) will a £44.5million deal.
TOTAL MATCH TIME: for United’s first goal be a free agent In the last four
101m 32s come the injury-hit sea-
BALL IN PLAY: 60m 41s summer — sons he has hit
while just 12 Prem
United will goals in 93
release appearances.
BRUNO FERNANDES created eight chances — only Luton’s Alfie
Doughty (9) has managed more in a Prem game this season.
NEXT 4
Saturday Fulham (a) Prem Sunday Luton (a) Prem
United’s skipper also went past 400 chances created in his Feb 24 Nottm Forest (h) Prem Feb 24 Fulham (h) Prem
Prem career. Only Manchester City (8) and Arsenal (7) have
won more PL away games this season than United (6).
Mar 2
Mar 10
Luton (a)
Tottenham (h)
Prem
Prem
GAMES Feb 28
Mar 3
Nottm Forest (a)
Man City (a)
FA Cup
Prem
50 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024

WEST HAM
2GM

PREMIER LEAGUE
40m 25s
31m 40s

0-1 Saliba 0-2 Saka (pen)

43m 21s

0-3 Gabriel

ONE DEC
STUN GUN . . . Gunners defender Saliba starts the rout TWO GOOD . . . Saka nets penalty to double the lead GIFT OF GAB . . . Gabriel nods in his fourth of the season

OF A
MAULING
MOY GUY . . .
Moyes with his
old skipper Rice

Old boy Rice Hammers final blow

DECLAN RICE shattered West
Ham hearts as brutal Arsenal
dismantled his old side to
keep the heat on Liverpool
and Manchester City.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners came to
East London with a point to prove
— and certainly rammed it home in
barbaric fashion.
Bukayo Saka grabbed a double as
Arsenal’s defensive duo William
Saliba and Gabriel added to their
tallies from set-pieces and Leandro
Trossard got a third in four games.
One more goal would have taken
the Gunners above second-placed
City on goal difference.
It was some response against the
side who effectively ended last sea-
son’s title push and had already
beaten Arsenal twice this season.
By JACK
ROSSER
How long ago that must feel for
those Irons fans.
It was not even two months back
that the Hammers were celebrating
back-to-back wins over Manchester
United and Arsenal. In the last
week they have faced both, conced-
ing NINE and scoring none.
As brilliant and ruthless as some
of Arsenal’s football was, West
Ham were simply letting it happen,
collapsing in an embarrassing spell
before the break.
They were not sitting deep but
neither were they putting any pres-
sure on. And once the Gunners had
got settled they cut through their
hosts with alarming ease.
The West Ham display was so
soft, so lacking in effort, that thou-
sands left the stadium before the
first half was even over.
Those who wanted to avoid the
traffic waited for full-time.
Hammers’ brief spells on the ball
were ending with hopeful punts
towards Jarrod Bowen, conceding
possession to the visitors.
That approach requires some
luck, such as Trossard, in for Jorg-
inho, putting a free header over the
bar from eight yards out after a
fine cross from Saka.
Keeper Alphonse Areola, declared
fit after being forced off at Old
Trafford last weekend, did not need
to worry himself with that effort
but had to be alert to palm the
Belgian’s powerful volley over a
minute later.
Arsenal were racking up the
chances and West Ham were push-
ing their luck, which soon ran out.
The back of Tomas Soucek’s boot
deflected a Martin Odegaard strike
behind before Vladimir Coufal
threw himself in front of a cross to
concede another corner.
This time they could not hang on.
As Rice trotted over to a chorus
of boos to swing a ball in, off-field
sub Cedric Soares ran down to
pass on a message from the bench
— perhaps the biggest contribution
he has made as an Arsenal player.
Gunners’ big boys amassed at the
back post, Rice picked them out
and Saliba rose highest, heading in
on 32 minutes and shattering West
Ham’s resolve. From there, Arsenal
were well and truly in their groove,
conducted by the brilliant Rice, and
the Hammers went to pieces.
Saka made it two shortly before
the break but he could have had a
hat-trick between Saliba’s opener
and his penalty.
The England man first headed
wide from Jakub Kiwior’s cross,
then clipped an effort past the far
post at the end of a superb move.
Finally, having been brought
down by Areola when through one-
on-one, he sent the Frenchman the
wrong way from the spot.
It was at this stadium, with a 2-0
lead, that the Gunners’ title push
collapsed last season when Saka
missed a penalty and West Ham
came back to claim a point.
This time, they put the foot down
before boss David Moyes could

88
ARSENAL’S victory was their joint-biggest in an
away league game, and their first such win by six
goals in 88 years, last doing so when they beat
Aston Villa 7-1 in December 1935. It was also their
fourth 6-0 win in league London derbies.
60 3
WEST HAM lost by six goals in a home top-flight
game for the second time in their history — the
other was just over 60 years ago, an 8-2 defeat
to Blackburn in December 1963. They also lost 6-0
to Sheffield Wednesday in Division Two in 1951.

UNITED 0 ARSENAL 6
SALIBA 32; SAKA 41 (PEN), 63; GABRIEL 44; TROSSARD 45; RICE 65
46m 37s
0-4 Trossard
TOO EASY . . . awful defending is exposed by Trossard
RICE ’N PLEASE . . .
keeper Areola can do
nothing to stop this
thunderbolt from their
former favourite
64m 48s
0-6 Rice
Distance scored:
27yds
even sort it out at half-time.
Rice delivered a precision
free-kick to the near post and
Gabriel glanced home his fourth
Prem goal of the season.
That would have been more than
enough to ensure they moved two
points off Liverpool but Arsenal were
relentless and West Ham wide open,
so they took advantage.
Skipper Odegaard fed Trossard,
who cut inside Kurt Zouma and
picked out the far corner two minutes
into stoppage time.
The London Stadium did not turn
toxic at this point, it just emptied.
The television cameras picked out
fans streaming over the bridges back
to Stratford before the whistle had
gone for the break.
Those left inside booed their team
off. After deciding to stay and see if
DECLAN RICE was involved in three goals in
the same Prem match for the first time in Saturday
his career in his 228th appearance in the Feb 26
competition. It was also the first time he
has assisted twice in the same game.
Mar 2
Mar 10
Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 51
2GM
SNIFF
ARTETA . . . momentum
62m 20s
0-5 Saka
From Back Page
double. William Saliba,
Gabriel, Leandro Trossard
and former Hammer
Declan Rice also netted.
FIVE ALIVE . . . superb Saka drills in to complete his brace The victory — hot on
the heels of beating lead-
ers Liverpool — moved
Arsenal within two points
of Jurgen Klopp’s men and
level on points with
champs Manchester City
after a fourth straight win.
Boss Arteta said: “What
I smell is a team that
wants to be better and
better. We are maintaining
and building momentum.
“We need to maintain
that because other teams
are doing that as well.”
The result was Arsenal’s
joint-biggest away league
win and their first by a
six-goal margin since a
7-1 drubbing of Aston Villa
in December 1935.
Arteta said: “It’s great
to make history, especially
the way we have done it.
“Such a big score in a
really difficult place tells
you a lot about how well
the boys played today.”
The Gunners boss also
said his players had a
point to prove after two
defeats to West Ham this
season — in the Carabao
Cup and at the Emirates.
The Spaniard added: “It
was time to beat West
Ham. We all knew it.
“We all had it in our
tummies and knew we had
to do certain things better
MATCH
than the previous match.”
Arteta was full of praise
STATS
for Rice, who completed
the rout with a fine shot
on his first start back at
V ARSENAL
WEST HAM West Ham.
He said: “I’m really
5 SHOTS 25 happy with him.
1 SHOTS ON TARGET 12 “It was an emotional
day for him because he
29% POSSESSION 71% loves West Ham so much.”
PASSES 685 Two-goal Saka said: “We
280
640 were 4-0 up in the first
208 COMPLETED PASSES
half and we could have
7 TOUCHES IN OPPOSITION BOX 46 scored more.
CORNERS 6 “We smelled blood today
2 and went for the kill.”
WEAK
17 FOULS CONCEDED 11
4/0 YELLOW/RED 0/0
MATCH TIME: 101m 9s
BALL IN PLAY: 57m 20s
From Back Page
but sometimes at football
clubs you are going to
the impossible could be done, many in June, delivered their biggest home have bad days.
more were heading for home not long defeat of the Premier League era.
beyond the start of the second half. Defender Ben White rolled a ball “The disappointing thing
Arsenal could have had two more back to the edge of the area where is that we were weak, we
within four minutes of the restart, as Rice arrived and bent a delightful didn’t do our jobs well
Trossard put one over and Gabriel goal into the far corner. enough. We didn’t fight to
Martinelli headed wide. He refused to celebrate and was contain it harder and make
The chances kept coming, though, replaced minutes later to warm sure we didn’t concede.
and West Ham were still not offering applause from all sides of the sta- We could have conceded
anything bordering on a defence, with dium as Arteta started to rest and other goals as well.
Moyes watching on helplessly. rotate, even sending on 16-year-old “A really poor day for us.
Odegaard, excellent once again, Ethan Nwaneri late on. Arsenal played really well.
found Saka in acres of space on the From there, the cutting edge left Very difficult to explain
edge of the West Ham box. Arsenal’s game while the West Ham how we played so poorly.”
He drifted forward, inside Moroccan players simply wanted to be put out West Ham fans left the
defender Nayef Aguerd and drilled of their misery.
his second into the near post just HOW THEY LINED UP home end about three-
past the hour. WEST HAM: Areola, Coufal, Zouma (Mavropanos 45), Aguerd, quarters empty by the
But then came the real killer for Emerson (Cresswell 76), Kudus, Alvarez (Phillips 45), Soucek, final whistle after a sev-
the Hammers fans as their adored Johnson, Ward-Prowse, Bowen. enth game without a win.
ARSENAL: Raya, White (Soares 77), Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior, But Moyes — who won
former captain, the man who lifted Rice (Elneny 67), Odegaard, Havertz, Saka (Nelson 67),
the Europa Conference League trophy Martinelli (Nwaneri 77) Trossard (Nketiah 67). the Europa Conference
League in June and is in
talks over a new contract
— launched a defence of
his time in East London.
He added: “I came back
NEXT 4
Nottm Forest (a) Prem Saturday Burnley (a) Prem
twice to get them out of
Brentford (h) Prem Feb 21 Porto (a) CL relegation. It was only
Everton (a)
Burnley (h)
Prem
Prem GAMES Feb 24
Mar 4
Newcastle (h)
Sheff Utd (a)
Prem
Prem
three months ago we were
having the best time West
Ham have ever had.”
52 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024

Sun Hammers
thesun.co.uk/sport
By JACK ROSSER
BOSS David Moyes blasted
his “weak” West Ham

‘weak’ as
side for their capitulation

Sport
against Arsenal.
And he understood why
thousands of fans went
home before half-time (left)

fans walk
with their team 4-0 down.
Moyes said: “I don’t think
my team has defended in
Football’s that way. Ever.
No1 pullout

at break
“Undoubtedly we’ve had
a terrible day and I under-

FinREE stand them totally leaving

Turn to Page 51

side

IN WITH
op
All the tcards
WEST HAM 0 ARSENAL 6
tips and

FevReryEdaEy

GREAT SCOTT . . . Hojlund and McTominay

TEN HAG’S
UTD UP, UP
AND AWAY lArteta can
A SNIFF! l Saka: We
smelled West
‘smell’ team on
Aston Villa......1 Man Utd......2
By GRAEME BRYCE

title charge Ham blood

ERIK TEN HAG says his Manchester
United players finally believe they can
win anywhere.
Supersub Scott McTominay’s 86th-
minute header clinched a “massive” victory
at Aston Villa to put the Red Devils firmly
back in the Champions League race.
United are on their best run of form COLD AS RICE . . . former
this season — with four wins on the spin West Ham star Declan Rice
leaving them just five points behind
fifth-placed Villa and six adrift of Totten- doesn’t celebrate against
ham in fourth. them after hitting the sixth
Boss Ten Hag said: “We can beat any
opponent away or at home.
“But sometimes, when we’re away,
we have to believe it more. It is about
belief and this team today believed we
could win.
“It is a massive win for us. We’ve got
closer and that was the aim. That was
Turn to Page 49

TOP OF PREM By JACK ROSSER

PLD GD PTS MIKEL ARTETA warned Arsenal’s
1 Liverpool 24 +32 54 title rivals he can ‘smell’ his
23 +31 52 team getting better after they
2 Man City hit West Ham for six.
3 Arsenal 24 +31 52 Following a ruthless London derby
+15 47 rout, Bukayo Saka had said the
4 Tottenham 24
y(7HA3A7*MQSTLP( |||+z!_' 5 Aston Villa 24 +18 46
Gunners “smelled blood” as he
passed 50 goals for the club with a
24 0 41 Turn to Page 51
6 Man Utd
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RUBY: SIR SET TO LORD IT
RUBY WALSH reckons Sir Gino will be
the next big thing in jumps racing.
The powerful four-year-old recruit
from France has demolished his rivals
in two runs for Nicky Henderson —
and is 4-5 to give the Seven Barrows
trainer a sixth Triumph Hurdle win.
Henderson has monster Champion
Hurdle hero Constitution Hill in his
yard but Walsh is excited by Sir Gino.
The legendary jock, 44, said: “Con-
By TOM PEPPER
star. The way he won at Cheltenham
was awesome. Each time you watch
that back you’re even more impressed.
“He is a proper National Hunt horse
— his size, the way he gallops, the way
he eats up the ground, it’s effortless.
“He’ll be lovely chaser. If he stays
sound and is allowed to develop he will
become the next superstar.
“He’s certainly with the right man for
HOMME TIME AT ASCOT
VENETIA WILLIAMS is ready to By CALLUM JAMIESON
Presse on with her Gold Cup hope.
Her stable star L’Homme Presse Cheltenham feature. Williams said:
is bang on course for Saturday’s “The plan is definitely Ascot.
Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase. “We’ve been happy with him since
After his impressive comeback Lingfield where we were delighted
win at Lingfield last month, the with him in the Fleur De Lys.
injury-prone nine-year-old shot “This race fits his schedule well
CLASS . . . and hopefully we can go on to the
back into Gold Cup contention.
Sir Gino Now 8-1 for Festival glory, he is Gold Cup with him.
“We’ve been patient with him and
currently vying with Shishkin to be

Favourite
stitution Hill is great for sure, but Sir that to happen in Nicky Henderson.” Britain’s No1 challenger in the now it might pay off.”
Gino could be the sport’s next super-

Monday, February
12, 2024

in
FREE association

200-1
WITH with

By CALLUM JAMIESON

STAN SHEPPARD pulled off

one of racing’s greatest-ever
shocks when 200-1 stunner
Absolute Steel showed his
mettle at Exeter.
The Tom Lacey-trained
five-year-old — beaten a

STEEL
whopping 99 LENGTHS on
his hurdle debut — was
greeted by silence on his
return to the winner’s enclo-
sure after flooring 4-9 favour-
ite Lowry’s Bar who had been
expected to romp to a fifth win
on the trot.
However Sheppard claimed he
was ‘not surprised’ by the win.
The jockey said: “I rode him
in a bumper and he actually
didn’t run that badly.
“Yes, it’s a surprise result for

STEALS
many — and the favourite may
have under-performed — but I’m
not surprised by my horse.”
Sheppard sent Absolute Steel
to the front from the off and
although Lowry’s Bar briefly got
his head in front after the last,
Lacey’s ace battled back to win
by one and a half lengths.
Sheppard said: “Running to
the last, I was thinking if the
favourite comes by me, I might
not get back by him — but when
he did come at us, my lad
picked up well again.”

SHOW
Absolute Steel will go into the SHARP STEEL . . .
record books as joint longest- Absolute Steel too
priced winner of a race in Brit-
ain for 34 years. strong for his rivals
Equinoctial’s success at 250-1
in a Kelso novice handicap hur-
dle in November 1990 is still the
biggest-ever in Britain.
Absolute Steel was an even
bigger steal for punters on the
exchanges. His starting price on
Betfair was a bumper 813-1.

Ex-rated win by Lacey ace

UPSET . . . Stan Sheppard and Tom Lacey enjoyed surprise win at Exeter
one of biggest-ever shocks
2 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024

Favourite HOME OF RACING FIRST PAST THE POST

PLUMPTON
TIC-TAC: Oval L-H track of
1m1f round. Seven fences per
circuit and 200yd run-in. FAV-
OURITES: (2019-2024): 201 have
won out of 528 races (38%). At
2.15
1
TIE THE KNOT WEDDING CATERING HCAP
HURDLE (4); £5,281; 3m 1f (5 runners)
5-52P4 GOOD NEWS 21 (V;CD)
GOING: SOFT (HEAVY IN PLACES)
TEMPLEGATE
2.15 ............................. Hill Of Tara
2.45 ..........................Prince Quali
3.15 .....................HMS President
TOM PEPPER
2.15 ............................. Hill Of Tara
2.45 ......................................Aviles
3.15 ................................ Lario (nb)
Templegate
3.45 ................................Kotmask 3.45 ..............................Chanceux

STEVE MULLEN
corresponding meetings, 11 have L Richards 12-12-0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Niall Houlihan 90
won out of 39 races (28%). LIVE Runs: 39 Wins: 9 (3S,3GS,3G) Places: 3 £43,078 4.15 ...............................Kaleb (nb) 4.15 ................Homme D’Un Soir
ON SKY SPORTS RACING Out of form, on a good mark but little signs of a revival lately, very risky 4.45 ................... Gearing’s Point 4.45 ............Callin Baton Rouge
TEMPLEGATE’S TRIO: Val Dancer (Catterick) and Kaleb (double,
HOT ‘N NOT 2 -11211 HILL OF TARA 39

TRAINERS with best record
in last 14 days: C Gordon 3
winners from 10 runners; Harry
IS RACING’S
V Williams 7-11-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ned Fox (3) l99 Plumpton) with For Pleasure (Catterick). TOM PEPPER’S DOUBLE: For
Runs: 9 Wins: 4 (3S,GS) £19,880 Pleasure (Catterick) and Lario (Plumpton).
In cracking form, unexposed as a stayer, 15lb rise but can mop this up SUNRATINGS’ NAP: WAKE UP HARRY (6.00 Wolverhampton).

Derham 3 from 10; S Edmunds
3 from 13; A King 6 from 27; G
L Moore 6 from 28; J Tizzard 4
from 26; N Henderson 6 from 41.
JOCKEYS with best record in
last 14 days: H Cobden 15 wins
from 51 rides; F Gingell 3 from 11;
T Cannon 5 from 22; B R Jones 5
from 22; N F Houlihan 3 from 14.
TRAINERS who have had the
most runners since last win: N
Gifford 29; J & S Best 23.
JOCKEYS who have had the
most rides since last win: J
Davies 52; M Kendrick 41.
Good News, 66 Rosserk Abbey
TOP TRAINERS
2019-2024 C Gordon 53-234, G
L Moore 52-334, N Henderson
13-47, N Mulholland 13-95, A
King 12-59, J Tizzard 9-38, N
Gifford 9-75, A Irvine 9-103, D
Skelton 8-28. THIS SEASON: C
Gordon 7, G L Moore 7, J Tizzard
No1 TIPSTER
3 32F573 HASTY PARISIAN 14 (P) SIRIUS, Sun On Sunday, nap: ETRETAT (7.00 Wolverhampton).
A Charlton 6-11-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bradley Harris (3) 97
MAYO WYNNE BAXTER HCAP HURDLE (4)
Runs: 21 Wins: 1 (S) Places: 4 £37,355
Struggling, down to a dangerous mark for shrewd yard, watch market 4.15 winner £5,281; 2m 5f (7 runners)
4 64-153 SAN PEDRO F19 (P;BF) 1 7-2270 KALEB 30 (BH)
C Gordon 7-11-0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Freddie Gordon 94
A Murphy 6-12-1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Freddie Gingell (5) l99
Runs: 23 Wins: 2 (GS,G) Places: 5 £20,928
Quirky, early days with this yard and capable off this mark, not out of it
Runs: 14 Wins: 1 (G) Places: 5 £25,356 VAL DANCER (3.00, nap) should have all the right
Drops dramatically in grade with blinkers fitted, must go close here
5 42PP/9 ROSSERK ABBEY 15 moves at Catterick.
B Lund 11-10-2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shane Quinlan 70
2 57/1-5 LEGIONAR 55 Shropshire trainer Mel Rowley was cruelly denied a TV
A Charlton 6-11-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harry Reed 90 winner at Newbury on Saturday with Kyntara but should gain
Runs: 20 Wins: 1 (G) Places: 5 £10,832 Runs: 7 Wins: 2 (GS,G) Places: 1 £11,426
Pulled up on stable debut and beaten 109 lengths last time, no chance some compensation 236 miles up north this afternoon.
Failed to shine on handicap debut, could do better with time, not today Her progressive seven-year-old Val Dancer has gone from
BETTING: 1-2 Hill Of Tara, 7-2 Hasty Parisian, 13-2 San Pedro, 10 3 33-42P RED WINDSOR 36
strength to strength over fences since a modest opening salvo
C Gordon 7-11-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rex Dingle 94
WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED: 2 Runs: 12 Wins: 1 (G) Places: 5 £15,635
at Ludlow in November.
In two runs since, the tip has shown his rivals a clean pair
2023: Crossing The Bar 6-12-2, S Ewing 13-8 (N Mulholland), 5 ran. Chasing hasn’t gone to plan, handicap debut over hurdles, not out of it of heels at Leicester and Wetherby, sticking his neck out in
4 13-136 SAMBEZI 19 (P,T)
STRONG FLAVOURS HANDICAP CHASE (4) determined fashion for the latest of those.
2.45 winner £5,809; 2m 1f (4 runners)
O Signy 8-11-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ben Jones 88
Runs: 23 Wins: 4 (S,2GS,G) Places: 7 £28,811
He readily left behind a reopposing Tom Cody that day and
if in the same mood, he can handle the 7lb rise to maintain
1 7-4544 GIVE ME A MOMENT 20 (D) Well beaten both starts this winter, still on a tough mark, best left his unbeaten record in the cheekpieces under Alex Edwards.
R Bandey 9-12-2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harry Bannister 80 5 4-2P32 HOMME D’UN SOIR 34 (P,T;BF) KALEB (4.15, nb) is yet to prove his stamina, but the blinkers
can help him get a deserved win at Plumpton. Amy Murphy

Dancer set to be
5, N Henderson 4. Runs: 27 Wins: 7 (7G) Places: 3 £50,483 B Aprahamian 8-11-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tom Cannon 97
Struggling, on a great mark but out of form for a long time, avoided Runs: 24 Wins: 4 (2S) Places: 9 £36,625
TOP JOCKEYS 2 115/52 PRINCE QUALI 37 (BF,D) Front runner, good attitude when bumping into well-treated foes, fancied
2019-2024 T Cannon 47-190, R Walford 7-11-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harry Kimber (3) l99 6 4-182 COLOURS ON CANVAS 14 (P)
H Cobden 20-65, B J Powell Runs: 11 Wins: 3 (S) Places: 2 £75,910 J & S Best 5-11-7. . . . . . . . . . . Sam Twiston-Davies 98
15-113, James Davies 12-123, N

star of the show

F Houlihan 12-133, H Bannister
11-40, R Dingle 11-91, M Goldstein
9-127, J J Burke 8-25, S Twiston-
Davies 8-45. THIS SEASON: R
Dingle 5, T Cannon 5.
TRAINER TRACE
FIRST RACE FOR NEW YARD:
3.15 On The Nose M Hoad to
A West.
RACEFAX: None.
LONGEST TRAVELLERS:
Chanceux (3.45) trained by A
Ralph, Bridgnorth, round trip
of 402 miles; Ballybeen (3.45)
trained by S Thomas, Cardiff,
round trip of 368 miles; Hill Of
Tara (2.15), V Williams, Hereford,
round trip 364 miles.
IN THE MONEY
MONEY TALKS: Military
Tycoon (3.15) opened 11-2,
unplaced at 4-1; Prince Quali
(2.45) opened 9-4, second at
15-8f; Onewayortother (3.15)
opened 15-2, unplaced at 6-1;
Narrow defeat on first British chase start, only 1lb higher, one to beat
3 1-6061 ALTO ALTO 36 (P,T;CD)
C Gordon 7-11-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rex Dingle 95
Runs: 17 Wins: 3 (2S,G) Places: 4
Headgear helped here last time, no cert to back it up off 5lb higher
4 222-2P AVILES 62 (PH,TH;BF)
G Moore 5-10-13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Niall Houlihan 98
Runs: 7 Places: 5 £13,561
Clearly got talent but wind op after expensive defeat, obvious risks
BETTING: evens Prince Quali, 15-8 Aviles, 11-2 Alto Alto, 10 Give Me
A Moment
WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED: PU abd 1 5-UR
2023: Le Ligerien 10-11-11, B Powell 11-1 (J Tizzard), 7 ran.
Sunracing FORM
last two, two lengths ahead last,
GIVE ME A MOMENT (11-11) 12-1 led
until 8th, ridden 4 out, held, 4th of 6 stayed on well run-in, bt Birdman
Bob (10-1) 13/4l (10 ran) (Plumpton 2m
(btn 37l) to Issar D’Airy (11-6) (New-
bury 2m hcap ch (3) £10,562 soft). hcap hdle (4) £7,922 soft).
PRINCE QUALI (11-0) 15-8 fav ridden to AVILES pulled up latest, earlier (10-
3) 2-1 jt fav pressed leader 2 out
chase winner 2 out, ran on, btn 1/2l by
Fast Buck (11-11) (4 ran) (Wincanton blundered, recovered and upsides
2m hcap ch (3) £13,202 heavy). winner last, ran on, just denied, btn
ALTO ALTO (11-8) 28-1 chased leader, ns by Hardy Fella (12-0) (6 ran) (Font-
led turning in, ridden clear between
Runs: 4 Wins: 1 (GS) Places: 1 £6,895
Unexposed, useful form and this trip can unlock more, one to consider
7 -17U22 BIRDMAN BOB 21 (C)
£43,763 A Irvine 7-10-4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Phillip Armson (3) 96
Runs: 11 Wins: 1 (GS) Places: 2 £10,558
Fast finisher, tends to detach himself in his races, not easy ride, chance
BETTING: 5-2 Homme D’Un Soir, 11-4 Colours On Canvas, 9-2 landed a fair old punt at Chelmsford last week and could
Birdman Bob, 13-2 Red Windsor, 15-2 Kaleb, 10 Legionar, 12 Sambezi cash in again, this time with a useful six-year-old who is
WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED: 1 1 abd PU 2 dropping dramatically in grade.
2023: Thirtyfourstitches 8-11-8, C Hammond 6-1 (Newland/Insole), 6 ran. He is used to facing much better rivals, going close in a pair
of Class 3 events this winter before respectable runs at Chel-
Sunracing FORM tenham and in the ultra-competitive Lanzarote at Kempton
KALEB (10-8) 28-1 11th of 19 (btn 25l) to 2m 3f hcap hdle (4) £5,281 soft). last month. His stamina for this trip is a small con-
Jay Jay Reilly (11-0) (Kempton 2m 5f HOMME D’UN SOIR (11-8) 9-4 jt fav ran cern but the blinkers can help him relax and
hcap hdle (2) £52,030 good to soft).
LEGIONAR (11-9) 20-1 no show, last of
on, btn 8l by Baron De Midleton (11-8)
(6 ran) (Market Rasen 2m 5f hcap
Freddie Gingell’s value 5lb claim is a bonus.
Back at Catterick, title-chasing Sean Bow-
hdle (4) £5,357 good to soft).
5 (btn 10l) to Lowry’s Bar (12-0) (Win- COLOURS ON CANVAS (11-12) 13-2 en and trainer Olly Murphy (right) can enjoy
canton 2m hcap hdle (3) £7,922 soft).
led until 3 out, kept on, btn 23/4l by front-running FOR PLEASURE (3.30, treble).
RED WINDSOR pulled up latest,
earlier (11-13) 15-2 stayed on, btn 9l by
Junkanoo (11-2) (6 ran) (Plumpton 2m
nov hdle (4) £4,357 good to soft). The yard can’t stop winning and For Pleas-
Kotmask (11-8) (5 ran) (Plumpton 2m BIRDMAN BOB (11-6) 4-1 led 2 out, ure, who had Graded form in his pomp, has
1f hcap ch (4) £6,601 good to soft). headed last, kept on, btn 2 1/ 2l by
SAMBEZI (11-11) 14-1 6th of 11 (btn 15l) to
been rejuvenated since switching to Murphy’s
Nickelforce (11-11) (12 ran) (Plumpton
Herakles Westwood (11-3) (Catterick 21/2m hcap hdle (5) £2,984 soft). Warwickshire stable.
He’s gone up 11lb for two recent wins to a mark
HALF MOON PLUMPTON MARES’ HCAP

Kotmask (3.45) opened 10-3, won
at 3-1f; Bombay Sapphire (4.45)
opened 11-1, unplaced at 9-1.
TOP EARNERS: 3.15 HMS
President £201,796; 2.45 Prince
Quali £75,910; 3.45 Scarface
£56,537; 2.45 G i v e M e A
Moment £50,483; 3.45 Kotmask
£47,397; 2.45 Alto Alto £43,763.
UNDER ORDERS
3.15
well 2m 3f hcap ch (4) £4,859 heavy).
STRUCTURED COMMUNICATIONS MAIDEN HURDLE 4.45 HURDLE (5); £3,829; 2m (8 runners)
of 122, but he was rated 144 at one stage so he is still
a well-treated animal.
(4); value to the winner £4,225; 2m. (12 runners) 1 34P-5P BOMBAY SAPPHIRE 28 (PH) The final race at Catterick features four out of form hors-
1 P DANCING MASTER 20 (TH) N Mulholland 6-11-7 ............ Brendan Powell — es but Donald McCain can ace them with MINELLA TRUMP
N Henderson 7-12-0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Max Kendrick 86
2 0/PP-7 FREDDY BOY 16 (H) D Bridgwater 8-11-7........................ James Martin (5) 70
Runs: 7 Wins: 1 (S) Places: 1 £7,597 (4.00). This is a far cry from the rivals he faced in last year’s
3 HMS PRESIDENT F170 A King 7-11-7 ........................................ Tom Cannon — Grand National. And in June 2022, he was winning off a 10lb
4 931/3-7 INIGO 18 G Moore 6-11-7 ............................................................ Niall Houlihan 90 Gone off the boil in hcaps, cheekpieces now tried, top yard but risky
higher mark in a race two classes higher than this.
5 95 JE SUIS SACRE 31 R Walford 5-11-7 ..................................Harry Kimber (3) 78 2 -46317 LADY BERLAIS 17 (B;D) If he brings anything like his A-game to the table today, this
6 11F-443 KOENIGSSTERN 30 N Gifford 7-11-7 ...................................James Davies l99 D Skelton 6-11-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Charlie Todd 94
7 U LARIO 48 A Charlton 5-11-7 ........................................................ Harry Cobden 98 Runs: 13 Wins: 1 (S) Places: 2 £6,082 should be a straightforward task.
8 1/P-350 ONEWAYORTOTHER 35 (PH;D) T Lawes 6-11-7.................Kevin Brogan 95
9 24-95 SEASIDE LEGEND 15 H Derham 6-11-7 ....................................Paul O’Brien 88 Inconsistent, will be the one to pass but folded tamely last time, e-w
10 ON THE NOSE F116 A West 6-11-0 .............................................Lee Edwards — 3 23 GEARING’S POINT 14 TEMPLEGATE’S 3.00 Catterick ........... VAL DANCER

SEVEN-DAY WINNERS: None.
BLINKERED FIRST TIME: 4.15
Kaleb. VISORED FIRST TIME:
4.45 Criquette. FIRST RUN
SINCE WIND OP: Aviles (2.45).
LUCKY15
11
12
9 MILITARY TYCOON 31 N Mulholland 4-10-9 ...........Sam Twiston-Davies 84
CELTIC ORLA P Phelan 4-10-2 ..................................................Sean Houlihan —
S West 6-11-9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marc Goldstein l99 3.30 Catterick .......FOR PLEASURE
BETTING: 11-10 HMS President, 9-2 Lario, Koenigsstern, 5 Onewayortother, 14 Inigo
Runs: 2 Places: 1 £3,010 4.00 Catterick .... MINELLA TRUMP
WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED: 1 Shaped well in two novice starts, opening mark looks fair, dangerous 4.15 Plumpton .....................KALEB
2023: Klitschko 5-11-7 Tom Cannon 8-15 Fav (A King), 12 ran. 4 6105-9 EVENTFUL 265 (B;CD)
BIG SPRAT NOVICES’ HANDICAP CHASE (3)

SHISH TOP MAN

WEIGHTWATCHER: 2.15 Good
News (won off 113, down 3lb to
110); Hasty Parisian (won off
107, down 6lb to 101); 2.45 Give
Me A Moment (won off 129,
down 7lb to 122)
JOB JOCKEY: N Fox rides Hill
Of Tara (2.15) for V Williams, 20
from 56, 36%. B R Jones rides
Sambezi (4.15) for O Signy, 5
from 14, 36%. K Brogan rides
Onewayortother (3.15) for T
Lawes, 7 from 20, 35%. Paul
O’Brien rides Seaside Legend
(3.15) for H Derham, 29 from 112,
26%. C Quinn rides Kotmask
(3.45) for G L Moore, 27 from
130, 21%.
PR BETS
FLAT TRANSFER: HMS PRES-
IDENT (3.15 Plumpton) was
rated 101 on the Flat for Alan
King and makes his hurdling
debut. Back in form yard
does well with these types.
KING CASH: PRINCE QUALI
(2.45 Plumpton) was backed
off the boards when finishing
a narrow second at
Wincanton last month.
USE YOUR HEAD: WAKE UP
HARRY (6.00 Wolverhampton)
won in first time cheekpieces
at Kempton two back and is
fitted with blinkers today in a
bid to get the spark back.
3.45
J & S Best 7-11-7 . . . . . . . . . . . Sam Twiston-Davies 88
Runs: 14 Wins: 2 (S,G) Places: 1 £12,081
winner £10,562; 2m 4f (4 runners) Not unbacked in some handicaps but has shown nothing, leave alone
1 -31F41 KOTMASK 17 (C) 5 231427 MAJESTIC JAMEELA 16 (D)
G Moore 6-12-2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Caoilin Quinn (3) l99 S Edmunds 4-11-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ciaran Gethings 98
Runs: 14 Wins: 4 (2S,2GS) Places: 3 £47,397 Runs: 8 Wins: 1 (S) Places: 5 £17,408
Won with lots to spare at Sandown, 7lb rise not harsh, the one to beat Consistent, has no secrets but takes a big drop in grade, one to beat SHISHKIN jumped off the he probably still won’t beat
2 5-6331 SCARFACE 36 (P;CD) 6 4FP946 CALLIN BATON ROUGE 31 (P) naughty step in the Denman Galopin . . . but I can see him
J Tizzard 7-11-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Brendan Powell 98 W Greatrex 6-11-0. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Caoilin Quinn (3) 94 Chase at Newbury. giving him a fright up the hill.
Runs: 16 Wins: 3 (S,2G) Places: 3 £56,537 Runs: 9 Places: 2 £1,772 Galopin Des Champs is the Now Shishkin’s back on
Form of course win boosted on Saturday, 8lb rise achieveable, player Just the one run of note since going into handicaps, hard to rule out one they have to beat in the the straight and narrow, he
Gold Cup but someone has to
3 25-811 CHANCEUX 45 (H) 7 46-P89 CRIQUETTE 35 (VH) has less questions to answer
A Ralph 8-11-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jonathan Burke 95 B Aprahamian 7-11-0. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tom Cannon 85 chase him home - and Shish- than a few at similar prices.
Runs: 18 Wins: 4 (2GS,2G) Places: 6 £33,351 Runs: 11 Wins: 1 (S) Places: 1 £1,620 kin looks as likely as anyone. I wouldn’t be opposed to
Has found his groove, unsure stepping up in trip will help, down list Weakened tamely back over hurdles at Taunton, visor tried, oppose The bookies weren’t blown chucking a pair of cheek-
over by his win and he was pieces on for the big day as
4 2-3322 BALLYBEEN 28 (T) 8 F6-33P ELIZA DOLITTLE 55 entitled to beat the now-dis-
S Thomas 8-10-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charlie Deutsch 97 N Gifford 6-10-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .James Davies 91 Nicky Henderson has hinted.
Runs: 16 Places: 9 £18,660 Runs: 7 Places: 2 £2,058 appointing Protektorat. Edwardstone is another
Yet the 8-1 on offer about horse who has his doubters.
Had plenty of chances, rarely finds as much as expected, obvious risks Shaped well early on but handicap runs have been poor, not obvious
Shishkin, unchanged after New- But he bounced back with
BETTING: 6-4 Kotmask, 3 Scarface, 7-2 Ballybeen, Chanceux BETTING: 5-2 Majestic Jameela, 4 Gearing’s Point, 11-2 Lady bury, still represents decent the performance of the week-
WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED: 1 Berlais, 13-2 Bombay Sapphire, 8 Eliza Dolittle, Callin Baton Rouge value in my book. I think he end in the Game Spirit.
2023: Lord Baddesley 8-12-0, T Cannon 11-10 Fav (C Gordon), 6 ran. WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED: 2 abd 3 1 will go off shorter on the day. Yes, he only had a field
2023: Well Vicky 6-11-8, J Tidball 4-9 Fav (A Ralph), 8 ran. Shishkin clearly has a mind of top-end handicap-
Sunracing FORM of his own and Nico De Bo- pers to beat, but he
KOTMASK (10-9) 3-1 fav headway 10th, CHANCEUX (10-9) 13-2 challenged last,
Sunracing FORM inville definitely earns his rid- stuffed them out of
led when jumped right and not fluent stayed on, led finish, bt Parisencore BOMBAY SAPPHIRE pulled up latest, to Symphorine (11-12) (Huntingdon ing fee when he gets the leg sight from the front.
last, ran on, won going away, bt Fine (11-8) nk (5 ran) (Doncaster 2m nov earlier (11-12) 8-1 led 4th until 2 out, 2m hcap hdle (5) £4,139 good). up on him. Those tactics
Casting (11-1) 8l (6 ran) (Sandown 2m hcap ch (3) £6,337 good to soft). tired run-in, 5th of 10 (btn 41l) to MAJESTIC JAMEELA (11-0) 22-1 7th of He is not a horse who will worked a treat and
nov hcap ch (3) £9,105 soft). BALLYBEEN (10-9) 5-2 jumped left, led Herakles Westwood (11-13) (Fontwell 10 (btn 28l) to Wodhooh (11-5) (Don-
SCARFACE (10-7) 9-2 led 4 out, clear until 2 out, two lengths down last, caster 2m Listed hdle (1) £22,780 good). put more into it than he I can see him get-
23/4m nov hcap hdle (5) £3,406 heavy). CRIQUETTE
needs and, for me, that
when hit 2 out, stayed on, bt Rock plugged on, clear 2nd, btn 43/4l by LADY BERLAIS (11-13) 6-1 led until 3
(11-10) 25-1 led until 3 out, ting involved in
My Way (11-7) 3l (5 ran) (Plumpton Imac Wood (10-13) (9 ran) (Hereford ridden, faded, 9th of 13 (btn 38l) to bodes well in the Gold Cup. the placings in
21/2m nov hcap ch (3) £13,392 soft). 2m 5f hcap ch (4) £6,522 good). out, weakened, 7th of 8 (well btn) to Sawpit Sienna (11-2) (Taunton 2m
Coup De Gold (10-12) (Sedgefield 2m hcap hdle (5) £4,832 soft). The better the race, an open Cham-
1f hcap hdle (5) £3,248 soft). ELIZA DOLITTLE pulled up latest, the better for Shishkin. pion Chase.
INIGO (3.15 Plumpton) would have needed GEARING’S POINT (10-12) 16-1 every earlier (10-12) 9-1 kept on well, 3rd
the run on hurdle debut after a 587-day chance, kept on, 3rd of 6 (btn 93/4l) of 10 (btn 27l) to Crem Fresh (11-5)
There’s no doubt he
absence. He shaped well despite that and to Junkanoo (11-2) (Plumpton 2m nov CRIQUETTE (11-8) 5-1 handy, not has the class. Sure, VALUE . . . Shishki
could be a different proposition today. hdle (4) £4,357 good to soft). fluent 3 out, pulled up (Fakenham
solid each-way at 8
EVENTFUL (11-9) 25-1 9th of 10 (btn 18l) 21/2m hcap hdle (5) £4,098 soft).
 Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 3
in association with

ST FOR TIPS, COLOURS & FORM

e 1
2
CATTERICK JUMPERS
1.30 DOWNLOAD RACEDAY READY APP MAIDEN HURDLE
(Class 4); value to winner £4,357; 2m. (8 runners)
9-707 BOWLER JACK 37 A Thomson 6-11-6.........................................Ryan Mania 82
5P-854 DIXIE COWBOY 120 S England 5-11-6 ...........................Jonathan England 85
Sunracing FORM
VAL DANCER (11-6) 11-4 fav led until
5th, 14th, led again 4 out, not fluent
GOING: HEAVY

4th of 13 (btn 8l) to Falco Blitz (11-3)

(Thurles 23/4m hcap ch €10,075 soft).
TEMPLEGATE
1.30........................Pickanumber
2.00 ................... Singapore Trip
2.30........................Tap N Go Leo
3 904-042 PICKANUMBER 185 O Murphy 6-11-6 ......................................Sean Bowen 98 2 out, clear last, ridden out, bt CONQUREDALOFEUROPE (10-12)

N
4 16-1 SPEED DAVIS 31 D McCain 6-11-6 ....................................... Brian Hughes l99 Shighness (11-1) 2l TOM CODY (11-1) 15-8 fav handy, tracked clear leader 3.00 .............VAL DANCER (nap)
5 2-7 RHIANNON RING 30 D Carroll 6-10-13 ...................................Robert Dunne 84 7-2 held upn rear, steady headway from 4th, closed up 2 out, ridden 3.30........................ For Pleasure
from 10th, ridden 4 out, weakened last, led final 110 yards, bt IDEAL DU
6 4 MR LE PHILOSOPHE 10 (T) R Menzies 4-10-8 ..............Nathan Moscrop 90
last, 4th (btn 13l) (10 ran) (Wetherby TABERT (11-8) 2-1 led, went clear 4th, 4.00 ....................Minella Trump
7 RIOJA ALTA F118 M Hammond 4-10-8 ................................Conor O’Farrell —
TOM PEPPER
S
3m hcap ch (4) £4,225 soft). hit 12th, not fluent 14th and reduced
8 ROSENPUR F19 J Candlish 4-10-8.............................................Sean Quinlan — IDEAL DU TABERT (10-9) 8-1 lead, forged on again 5 out, headed
BETTING: 13-8 Speed Davis, 5-2 Pickanumber, 7 Mr Le Philosophe, 8 Rioja Alta
WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED and 2023: No corresponding race.
challenged 2 out, ridden straight and 110 yards out, 1l (4 ran) (Catterick 3m 1.30.......................... Speed Davis
3rd before last, no impression run-in, 1f nov hcap ch (4) £5,484 heavy).
2.00 ...................................... Hajey
RACINGTV.COM HANDICAP HURDLE (4)
2.00 3.30 BEST ODDS AT VICKERS.BET HANDICAP
R
2.30........................Tap N Go Leo
winner £4,462; 2m 3f (7 runners) HURDLE (3); £6,152; 2m (8 runners) 3.00 .......Conquredalofeurope
1 -3P612 HAJEY 19 (CD) 1 38-851 HOLLY 34 3.30......... FOR PLEASURE (nap)
T Waggott 7-12-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tom Midgley (3) 98 Jonjo O’Neill 7-12-0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jonjo O’Neill Jr 96 4.00 ....................Minella Trump
Runs: 17 Wins: 4 (3S,GS) Places: 4 £35,140 Runs: 11 Wins: 5 (2S,2GS) £23,281
In form, only found a progressive rival too strong last time, in the hunt TIC-TAC: Left-handed oval
Back to form from nowhere at M Rasen, up 9lb but time on her side track of 1m 2f, eight fences per
t 2 P38-03 ROCKY MAN 83 (P) 2 VP9511 FOR PLEASURE 48 (T;D) circuit and a 2f run-in. Races
D Skelton 6-11-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harry Skelton 95 O Murphy 9-11-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sean Bowen l99 over 2m and 3m start on a chute.
Runs: 10 Wins: 1 (GS) Places: 3 £14,695 Runs: 32 Wins: 7 (2S,2GS,3G) Places: 4 £86,525 FAVOURITES: (2019-2024): 323
V Struggling, drops in grade after heavy defeats in better races, places
n Front runner, has shown a great attitude back over hurdles, big shout have won out of 934 races (35%).
3 -10043 INFERNO SACREE 17 (B;D) LIVE ON RACING TV
3 49-514 MILLDAM 30 (H,T;D)
m N Hawke 6-11-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sean Bowen 96
Runs: 23 Wins: 5 (2S,2GS,G) Places: 1 £33,711
J Snowden 6-11-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gavin Sheehan 97 HOT ‘N NOT
o Runs: 13 Wins: 2 (2S) Places: 3 £23,243
In good nick, stamina for this trip remains a doubt but in the mix Stamina ran out last time, still unexposed and on a fair mark, in hunt TRAINERS with best record in
last 14 days: O Murphy 12 wins
r 4 521/65 GOLFE CLAIR 19 4 5-7213 THE CHURCHILL LAD 29 (H;BF,CD) from 30 runners; M Hammond
n P Kirby 8-11-7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joe Williamson (5) 92 R Menzies 5-11-10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ross Chapman 90 5 from 26; A M Thomson 3 from
Runs: 10 Wins: 3 (S,2G) Places: 1 £18,570 Runs: 11 Wins: 3 (2S,G) Places: 3 £40,378 19; D McCain 3 from 29.
d Out of sorts, long absence before two disappointing runs, lots of risk Often tears away but have to fight for lead here, poor latest, down list JOCKEYS with best record
n 5 090833 SINGAPORE TRIP 30 (T) 5 501521 MOONLIGHT GLORY 17 (D) in last 14 days: C P Millar 2
. M Hammond 6-11-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Conor O’Farrell l99 wins from 5 rides; J Hamilton 4
M Walford 9-11-7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tom Midgley (3) 94 from 14; B Hughes 6 from 39; G
s Runs: 28 Wins: 2 (S) Places: 6 £99,967 Runs: 35 Wins: 6 (3S,3GS) Places: 7 £44,900
Frustrating, has got going too late the last twice, on good mark, player Sheehan 6 from 43.
y Mudlark but in and out, better latest but this tougher off 4lb higher TRAINERS who have had the
6 -21143 HARPER VALLEY 48 (BF) 6 3-1150 CARRAREA F122 (T;D) most runners since last win: D
R Menzies 7-11-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ross Chapman 97 H McMahon 7-11-6. . . . . . . . . . . .Edward Austin (5) 85 Carroll 44; M Sowersby 28.
Runs: 8 Wins: 2 (S,G) Places: 2 £13,964 Runs: 14 Wins: 4 (GS,2G) Places: 5 £42,042 JOCKEYS who have had the
Beat in-form rival three back, this a bit easier than last twice, go close Lost his way for previous yard, returns after a break, hard to fancy most rides since last win: T

w
7 140-76 ROCK HURLEY 48 (PH,T) Worsley 76; A Anderson 37.
7 231114 EL JEFE 7 (H,T)
D McCain 6-11-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brian Hughes 88
Runs: 9 Wins: 2 (2S) £25,687
A Hamilton 7-10-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . Conor Rabbitt (5) 91 TOP TRAINERS
Runs: 31 Wins: 4 (4S) Places: 7 £26,767 2019-2024 D McCain 25-173,
Has shown very little since joining from France, would be a surprise Folded tamely at Carlisle, same mark in a similar race, others stronger B Ellison 22-110, M Hammond
BETTING: 2 Hajey, 4 Harper Valley, 11-2 Inferno Sacree, 6 Rocky 8 P6-262 VERY EXCELLENT 32 21-266, R Menzies 19-119, P
Man, 7 Singapore Trip, 8 Golfe Clair, 12 Rock Hurley M Sowersby 8-10-9 . . . . . . . . . Aaron Anderson (5) 90 Kirby 14-202, S England 11-87,
d WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED: abd abd PU 3 6 Runs: 15 Wins: 1 (G) Places: 4 £18,123 J Snowden 10-24, Jonjo O’Neill
Inconsistent, cracking run last time but unsure to back that up, places 9-35, D Skelton 8-32, O Murphy
s 2023: Kavanaghs Cross 8-11-1, B Hughes 9-1 (P Neville), 9 ran. 6-21. THIS SEASON: M Hamm-
BETTING: 2 Holly, 3 For Pleasure, 9-2 Moonlight Glory, 8 Milldam, ond 6, D McCain 5.
r Sunracing FORM 10 The Churchill Lad, Very Excellent, 12 El Jefe, 33 Carrarea
- HAJEY (11-9) 9-2 led until 4th, led again SINGAPORE TRIP (10-2) 10-1 headway WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED: abd abd 1 5 2 TOP JOCKEYS
n 2 out, headed last stride, btn hd by 3 out, switched, ran on, 3rd of 9 (btn 2023: First Impression 6-11-7, B Garritty 4-1 (J Quinn), 8 ran. 2019-2024 B Hughes 32-169, G
Herakles Westwood (11-3) GOLFE 3l) to Santos Blue (10-12) (Wetherby Sheehan 16-46, Sean Quinlan
CLAIR (11-6) 14-1 handy, effort 2 out, 21/2m hcap hdle (3) £6,337 soft).
one pace, 5th (btn 15l) (11 ran) (Catt- HARPER VALLEY (11-0) 6-5 fav close Sunracing FORM 12-116, C O’Farrell 11-67, J
England 8-58, J Hamilton 8-86,
erick 2m 3f hcap hdle (4) £5,281 soft). up, ridden 2 out, kept on, 3rd of 7 HOLLY (11-8) 16-1 waited with in last to Ginger Mail (11-8) (Kelso 2m hcap
ROCKY MAN (11-7) 11-2 led, not fluent (btn 6 1/ 2l) to Mothill (12-0) GOLFE Jonjo O’Neill Jr 7-26, H Skelton
pair, closer in 4th at 2nd, smooth hdle (3) £6,601 soft).
3rd, headed 2 out, 3rd of 4 (btn 26l) CLAIR (11-13) 12-1 ridden 3 out, faded, MOONLIGHT GLORY (11-3) 17-2 in 6-21, S Bowen 5-15, R Mania 5-44.
to Operation Manna (10-9) (Lingfield 6th (btn 23l) (Sedgefield 21/2m hcap headway to lead 2 out, soon clear, THIS SEASON: B Hughes 4, R
easily, bt Autumn Return (12-0) 71/2l (6 rear, pushed along 4th, headway 3
2m 3f hcap hdle (3) £5,809 soft). hdle (4) £4,225 good to soft).
ran) (Market Rasen 2m 1f hcap hdle out, led next, driven all out, bt Horn Chapman 2, J Hamilton 2.
INFERNO SACREE (11-6) 9-2 led, hit 4 ROCK HURLEY (12-0) 10-1 ridden 4th,
out, headed 2 out, 3rd of 6 (btn 73/4l) weakened 3 out, 6th of 9 (btn 42l) to (4) £5,281 good to soft).
FOR PLEASURE (11-1) 4-9 fav led,
Cape (11-8) 4l (6 ran) (Sedgefield 2m
1f hcap hdle (4) £4,066 soft). TRAINER TRACE
to Moonlight Glory (11-3) (Sedgefield Royal Rhythm (11-4) (Wetherby 2m CARRAREA (11-6) 22-1 chased leaders,
2m 1f hcap hdle (4) £4,066 soft). hcap hdle (4) £4,225 soft). pressed for lead, ridden 2 out where ridden 2 out, 10th of 12 (well btn) to FIRST RACE FOR NEW
disputed lead, two lengths clear last Pyramid Place (11-2) (Cartmel 23/4m YARD: 1.30 Dixie Cowboy C
BBC MAKE A DIFFERENCE AWARDS MAIDEN HURDLE
2.30
where not fluent, diminishing lead hcap hdle (3) £18,549 heavy). Motherway (Ire) to S England;
close home where drifted left, ran on,
(4); value to the winner £4,357; 3m 1f. (8 runners) all out, bt Nashville Nipper (11-2) nk
EL JEFE (10-7) 7-1 smooth headway to
press for lead 2 out, soon outpaced
Pickanumber P Croke (Ire)
1 3-3P COURT CASE 13 R Menzies 6-11-4 .......................................Ross Chapman 82 (3 ran) (Fontwell 21/4m hcap hdle (3) to O Murphy; Rioja Alta G
- by new leader, four lengths 2nd last,
2 422-33P HAD TO BE HUGO 48 (P) R Menzies 7-11-4....................... Conor O’Farrell 97 £5,809 good to soft). no extra and weakened run-in, 4th of Cromwell (Ire) to M Hammond;
P 3 F1-F3P LE JEUNE BRESIL 65 B Ellison 7-11-4 ..................................... Sean Quinlan 98 MILLDAM (10-10) 7-2 in touch, pushed 11 (btn 13l) to Skycutter (11-6) (Carlisle 3.30 Carrarea M Walford to H
s 4 P1-33P MICRO MILLIONS 51 (PH) D Skelton 6-11-4 .........................Harry Skelton 96 along 3 out, losing place when not 2m 1f hcap hdle (4) £5,281 soft). McMahon.
b 5 P4P-P7P SAMILLIER 13 (PH) J Coward 6-11-4 ..................................Jamie Hamilton 75 fluent 2 out, weakened, 4th of 9 (btn VERY EXCELLENT (11-2) 20-1 led until RACEFAX: None.
6 123 TAP N GO LEO 30 Jonjo O’Neill 5-11-4 .............................Jonjo O’Neill Jr l99 13l) to Santos Blue (10-12) (Wetherby after 3rd, stayed handy, switched LONGEST TRAVELLERS:
7 115-752 CHATSHOW HOST 38 D McCain 7-10-11 .....................................non-runner 95 21/2m hcap hdle (3) £6,337 soft). left and challenged last, led run-in, Inferno Sacree (2.00) trained by
s 8 326-855 JALISCO STAR 31 (T) L Horsfall 6-10-11 .................................Alex Edwards 90 THE CHURCHILL LAD (11-7) 2-1 fav led headed finish, btn 1/ 2l by Freddy N Hawke, Tiverton, round trip of
BETTING: 15-8 Tap N Go Leo, 7-2 Had To Be Hugo, 4 Micro Millions, 6 Le Jeune and soon clear, reduced lead 4th, Robinson (11-7) (7 ran) (Catterick 2m
Bresil, 14 Jalisco Star, 33 Court Case, 100 Samillier headed 2 out, faded, 3rd of 4 (btn 13l) hcap hdle (4) £4,568 soft). 622 miles; Milldam (3.30) trained
by J Snowden, Lambourn, round
WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED and 2023: No corresponding race.
RACING TV HANDICAP CHASE (3) value to
R
E Sunracing FORM 4.00 the winner £6,680; 3m 1f (4 runners)
trip of 470 miles; Tap N Go
Leo (2.30) & Holly (3.30), Jonjo
O’Neill, Cheltenham, round trip
P COURT CASE pulled up latest, earlier SAMILLIER pulled up latest, earlier (11- 1 70-095 MINELLA TRUMP 30 (C) 422 miles.
B (11-2) 6-1 disputed lead, headed 3f 5) 125-1 close up rear, pushed along D McCain 10-12-0. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Theo Gillard l99
out, ridden 2f out, no extra 1f out,
3rd of 4 (btn 19l) to Wendigo (11-2)
home turn, soon tailed off, last of 7
(btn 43l) to Backbyjet (11-5) (Catterick Runs: 26 Wins: 12 (4S,3GS,5G) Places: 2 £95,113 IN THE MONEY
(Hexham 2m NHF (5) £2,614 heavy). 2m 3f nov hdle (4) £4,357 heavy). Classy, drops in grade against out of form rivals, opportunity knocks MONEY TALKS: Chatshow
HAD TO BE HUGO pulled up latest, TAP N GO LEO (11-7) 17-2 headway Host (2.30) opened 4-1, second
earlier (11-9) 11-2 ridden 3 out, home turn, ridden and went 3rd 2 2 188P-5 FLOUEUR 29 (T)
plugged on one pace, 3rd of 7 (btn out, stayed on same pace, 3rd of 13 R Menzies 9-12-0 . . . . . . . . . . . Tabitha Worsley (3) 88 at 3-1; Conquredalofeurope
5 3/ 4l) to Niceandeasy (11-0) (Kelso (btn 7l) to Diamond Ri (11-7) (Warwick Runs: 23 Wins: 5 (2S) Places: 6 £73,098 (3.00) opened 9-4, won at 15-8f;
31/4m hcap hdle (4) £4,753 soft). 2m 3f mdn hdle (2) £9,242 soft). For Pleasure (3.30) opened 8-15,
LE JEUNE BRESIL pulled up latest, CHATSHOW HOST (10-9) 3-1 led 9th, With his sixth trainer, no signs of a revival on stable debut, lots of risk
earlier (11-0) 28-1 chased winner who pushed along 3 out, faced challenge, won at 4-9f; Harper Valley (2.00)
went clear 3 out, closer when hit 2 headed 2 out, kept on, ridden, held 3 PF-664 OMAR MARETTI 44 (P;CD) opened 11-8, third at 6-5f; Rioja
out, ridden, no extra, 3rd of 15 (btn close home, btn 1 1 / 4l by Chosen A Hales 10-11-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bryan Carver 94 Alta (1.30) opened 5-1, unplaced
71/4l) to Heltenham (10-9) (Wetherby Templar (11-2) (6 ran) (Musselburgh Runs: 19 Wins: 6 (3S,2GS) Places: 2 £37,385 at 4-1jf.
21/2m nov hdle (3) £5,174 soft). 3m mdn hdle (4) £3,393 soft). Struggling, excuses last time and is dangerously treated, interesting
MICRO MILLIONS pulled up latest, JALISCO STAR (10-13) 150-1 led until T O P E A R N E R S : 3.30 F o r
earlier (11-4) 2-1 every chance 2 out, ridden 2 out, soon weakened, 5th 4 3-0P15 BUSHYPARK 32 (C) Pleasure £110,932; 2.00 Singa-
held last, 3rd of 6 (btn 41/2l) to Ten of 12 (btn 28l) to Oak Creek (10-13) P Kirby 10-11-1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joe Williamson (5) 95 pore Trip £100,712; 4.00 Minella
Lengths Tom (11-3) (Uttoxeter 21/2m (Wincanton 3m 1f mdn hdle (4) £4,221 Trump £95,113; 4.00 Floueur
mdn hdle (4) £4,357 soft). good to soft). Runs: 25 Wins: 9 (7S,2GS) Places: 1 £65,826
Stout stayer, hard to predict but of interest on his mark, main danger £73,098; 4.00 Bushypark £65,826.
JUMPING FOR JOY RACING TV NOVICE HCAP
3.00 CHASE (4); £4,568; 3m 1f (4 runners)
BETTING: 2 Minella Trump, 5-2 Bushypark, 3 Floueur, 4 Omar Maretti
WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED: 1-2
UNDER ORDERS
SEVEN-DAY WINNERS: None.
1 46-311 VAL DANCER 30 (P) 2023: Tango Boy 10-10-11, D McMenamin 10-11 Fav (N Mulholland), 2 ran. FIRST TIME BLINKERS: None.
M Rowley 7-12-0. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alex Edwards l99 VISORED FIRST TIME: None.
Runs: 11 Wins: 3 (3S) Places: 2 £15,933
On a roll, had plenty in hand on his first try at a staying trip, win again
Sunracing FORM FIRST RUN SINCE WIND OP:
MINELLA TRUMP (11-8) 33-1 chased OMAR MARETTI (11-8) 25-1 close up in Jalisco Star (2.30).
2 344424 IDEAL DU TABERT 22 (PH) leaders, pushed along 4 out, no rear, tracked leaders 4th, ridden to WEIGHTWATCHER: 4.00 Omar
C Collins (Ire) 6-12-0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carl Millar (7) 93 response and soon held, 5th of 7 (btn chase winner 4 out, 4th of 6 (btn 20l) Maretti (won off 132, down 3lb
Runs: 12 Places: 5 £12,561 25l) to Flegmatik (11-2) (Kempton 3m to Robyndzone (9-12) (Haydock 31/2m to 129); Minella Trump (won off
Irish raider, running well but 6lb higher mark demands more hcap ch (2) £18,210 good to soft). hcap ch (2) £13,278 heavy). 145, down 10lb to 135)
FLOUEUR (11-11) 25-1 went 2nd until BUSHYPARK (11-9) 13-2 led until not
3 P-6541 CONQUREDALOFEUROPE 42 (CD) 12th, chased leaders, lost 3rd 3 out, fluent 12th, led next, headed 4 out, JOB JOCKEY: C Rabbitt rides
D McCain 9-11-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Theo Gillard 98 weakened 3 out, 5th of 7 (btn 30l) to tailed off, 5th of 8 (well btn) to Track El Jefe (3.30) for A B Hamilton,
Runs: 23 Wins: 2 (2S) Places: 5 £28,190 Special Rate (11-2) (Kelso 2m 7f hcap And Trace (11-1) (Catterick 3 3 / 4m 3 from 9, 33%. T Midgley rides
Beat Ideal Du Tabert last time, only 3lb higher and unexposed, threat ch (3) £7,922 soft). hcap ch (3) £10,806 soft). Hajey (2.00) for T Waggott, 4
from 17, 24%. S Bowen rides
4 -42114 TOM CODY 30 (P,T)
R Menzies 8-11-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ross Chapman 90
Runs: 20 Wins: 7 (3S) Places: 2 £10,602
EACH-WAY THIEF Pickanumber (1.30), For
Pleasure (3.30) for O Murphy,
HAVE an each-way double at Wolverhampton. DION 80 from 334, 24%. H Skelton
Handicapper looked to have his measure behind Val Dancer, avoid
BAKER (6.00) finds winning tough but has form figures rides Rocky Man (2.00), Micro
BETTING: 15-8 Val Dancer, 2 Conquredalofeurope, 11-4 Ideal Du Millions (2.30) for D Skelton,
Tabert, 6 Tom Cody of 213 in this grade. Pair him with DELVEY (8.00) who is 1024 from 4325, 24%. S Bowen
WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED: 2 well treated on these terms and gets the assistance of rides Inferno Sacree (2.00) for
in Luke Morris in a poor-looking Classified race.
8s 2023: Fiston Du Mou 8-10-11, G Sheehan 15-8 (P Neville), 2 ran. N Hawke, 18 from 82, 22%.
4 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024

Favourite
in association with

THE HOME OF RACING

WOLVERHAMPTON
RACING RESULTS
GOING: STANDARD nHARRY COBDEN has finally
drawn level as his title battle
Thismydream (11-4). 6 ran. 33/4l; nk. C
Allen. T: £3.25; £1.60, £2.30. Ex: £13.60.
with Sean Bowen hots up. Trif: £25.90. CF: £11.15. NR: B B Pow.
Paul Nicholls’ No1 rider 1.57: 1 SMOOTH SILESIE A Jary (17-

BOOST YOUR ACCA AT BETMGM HCAP BEST ODDS AT BETMGM HANDICAP (5) TEMPLEGATE trailed by 31 winners before
2); 2 Ten O’Clock (5-1); 3 Unavailable

5.30 (Class 6); £4,501; 1m 1f (7 runners) 7.00 3-Y-O; winner £7,851; 1m 2f (6 runners)
5.30........................Island Native
6.00 ........................... Dion Baker
a knee injury forced Bowen to
miss six weeks of action.
(evens fav). 7 ran. nk; nk. L Williamson.
T: £9.50; £3.70, £2.70. Ex: £41.50.
Trifecta: £96.30. CF: £49.55.
1 140-43 JUMEIRA VISION 17 (CD) 1 722- BRODIE’S BOY 47 6.30 ....................Cupid’s Dream Cobden had to wait until 2.27: 1 SENNOCKIAN J Fanning (3-1);
the last race at Exeter for the 2 Ippotheos (9-2); 3 Reveal (10-1). 5 ran
(5) K Scott 4-9-9. . . . . . . . . . . Joanna Mason 96 (2) F Brennan 9-9 . . . . . . . . . . Joshua Bryan 96 7.00.....................................Etretat (Aljezur 10-11 fav). nk; 11/2l. C Johnston.
Runs: 9 Wins: 1 (A) Places: 2 £5,966 Runs: 3 Places: 2 £4,195 7.30 ..................................Romilda one winner he needed to equal T: £4; £1.60, £2.10. Ex: £16.30. Trifecta:
Consistent, debut for a yard in luckless form, fair mark, not out of it Showed plenty of ability in opening runs, will improve, watch market the scores up and he had an £42.80. CF: £16.53.
8.00 ......................Bella Bluesky armchair ride on top prospect 2.57: 1 SAVANNAH SMILES C
2 2330-9 ROGUE WARRIOR 38 2 278-64 GIVE IT UP 20 (H) 8.30............................ Munificent Teeshan who was cut to 8-1 Hutchinson (15-2); 2 Neptune Legend
(1) N Evans 4-9-9 . . . . . . . . . .Saffie Osborne 85 (5) R Spencer 9-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jason Hart 90 for the Champion Bumper. (2-1 fav); 3 Admirable Lad (12-1). 10 ran.
Runs: 5 Places: 2 £3,955
Left previous yard after two heavy handicap defeats, easily ruled out
Runs: 6 Places: 1 £2,491
Quirky, headgear seemed to help last time but needs more, outsider
TOM PEPPER He is at Plumpton for 1l; hd. G Harris. T: £8.50; £2, £1.50, £3.
Ex: £27.40. Trifecta: £193.20. CF: £23.65.
5.30..............................Fieldsman one ride today and is taking NR: Bear To Dream, Repartee.
3 -37132 ISLAND NATIVE 9 (V) 3 145- CAELAN 137 6.00 ........................ Swiss Rowe tomorrow off. Bowen could 3.27: 1 THE CRAFTYMASTER W
(6) M Appleby 4-9-8 . . . .Alistair Rawlinson 98 (3) M Botti 9-8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hollie Doyle 95 hit the front again as he has Carson (18-5); 2 The Bunt (5-2 fav); 3
Runs: 17 Wins: 1 (A) Places: 8 £15,376 Runs: 3 Wins: 1 (A) £6,223 6.30 .................................Bursinel
7.00.............................. Marefuori three chances at Catterick Simiyann (4-1). 6 ran. 3/4l; 3/4l. A Carroll.
Just one win but in good heart, more to offer for shrewd yard, player Has failed to build on winning debut, still unexposed, hard to rule out today and three more at T: £4.60; £2.10, £1.80. Ex: £12.30.
4 3282-2 LOCAL MUSIC 6 (BF) 4 755- ETRETAT 132 7.30 ..................... Tribal Wisdom Lingfield tomorrow. Trifecta: £40.60. CF: £13.22.
8.00 ....................................Delvey 3.57: 1 SOVEREIGN KNIGHT K
(2) M Crawley 4-9-7. . . . . . . . . . Luke Morris l99 (6) C Johnston 9-8 . . . . . . . . . . Joe Fanning 98 EXETER Shoemark (7-4); 2 Kento (6-4 fav); 3
Runs: 6 Places: 3 £6,037 Runs: 3 £0 8.30............................Darlo Pride Going: Heavy Gowareagle (14-1). 9 ran. nk; 1l. Miss
Unexposed, narrow defeats in her last two handicaps, the one to beat Hints of ability on the turf, handicap debut up in distance, watch odds 2.05: 1 CREBILLY Jonjo O’Neill Jr A Murphy. T: £2.75; £1.10, £1.10, £3. Ex:
TIC-TAC: L-H tight Tapeta (5-2); 2 Tahmuras (7-5 fav); 3 Trelawne £5.20. Trifecta: £24.30. CF: £4.80.
5 86-825 HARBOUR VISION 6 (V;CD) 5 52314- MAREFUORI 124 (T;CD) AW track of 1m, with a 330yd (13-8). 3 ran. 11/4l; 1/2l. Jonjo O’Neill. T: 4.27: 1 FOREVER PROUD Liam
(3) S Dixon 9-9-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phil Dennis 90 (4) M Botti 9-8. . . . . . . . . . . . . Benoit Sayette l99 run-in. 6f and 7f races start on £3.50; Ex: £4.80. CF: £6.15. NR: The Wright (18-1); 2 Stopnsearch (11-8 fav);
Runs: 94 Wins: 10 (F,9A) Places: 19 £86,953 Runs: 6 Wins: 1 (A) £10,811 chutes. DRAW: Little effect. King Of Ryhope. 3 Barbarosa (66-1). 9 ran. 1/ 2l; nk. M
Experienced, capable but more out than in these days, needs his best Gelded since poor run at Nottingham, has run well here, one to beat FAVOURITES: (2019-2024): 2.35: 1 ABSOLUTE STEEL S Hoad. T: £19.40; £3.40, £1.20, £10.20. Ex:
1,099 have won out of 3,339 races Sheppard (200-1); 2 Lowry’s Bar (4-9 £67.90. Trifecta: £1970.40. CF: £43.90.
6 51-221 FIELDSMAN 14 (C) 6 569-14 LIVINTHELIFE 12 (H;CD) fav); 3 Diamatiste (25-1). 8 ran. 11/2l; 13l. P/POT: £33.40. Q/POT: £5.50
(4) A Carroll 12-9-4. . . . . . .Jack Doughty (7) 97 (1) A Haynes 9-3 . . . Christian Howarth (3) 98 (33%). JACKPOT: 1-6. LIVE ON T Lacey. T: £201; £15.80, £1.10, £2.70. Ex:
Runs: 127 Wins: 14 (5F,5A,2GS,2G) Places: 33 £112,919 Runs: 5 Wins: 1 (A) £3,475 SKY SPORTS RACING £427.40. Trifecta: £6730.60. CF: £321.02.
NAVAN
Going: Soft to heavy (heavy in places)
Allowed to dominate over 7f latest, up 5lb but smart claimer up again Won handicap debut here, trip excuse at Kempton since, bounce back
BETTING: 10-3 Marefuori, 7-2 Brodie’s Boy, 4 Etretat, 9-2
HOT ‘N NOT NR: Hasthing, Home Free.
3.05: 1 FUN FUN FUN D Jacob (6-4);
1.45: 1 HELVIC DREAM S Ewing (11-
7 534-53 KING OF SPEED 18 (T) 2 Favour And Fortune (11-8 fav); 3
2); 2 Angostura (7-1); 3 Claude Du Val
(7) M Loughnane 5-9-3 . . Billy Loughnane 95 Livinthelife, 11-2 Caelan, 13-2 Give It Up TRAINERS with best record in (10-1). 14 ran (Ascending 4-5 fav). 1/2l;
last 14 days: C Appleby 9 wins Insurrection (11-4). 3 ran. 1/ 2l; 20l. W 13/4l. N Meade. T: €8.50; €1.60, €2, €2.70.
Runs: 25 Wins: 2 (S,G) Places: 6 £19,081 WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED and 2023: No corresponding race. from 19 runners; C Johnston 7 P Mullins (IRE) . T: £2.50; Ex: £3.20. Ex: €49.10. Trifecta: €220.80. CF: €45.17.
Has lacked the speed for 7f of late, new trip can help, leading role from 25; W Haggas 2 from 9; Trifecta: £2.70. CF: £3.94. NR: Juventus 2.15: 1 BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD J W
BETTING: 7-4 Local Music, 7-2 Island Native, 4 Fieldsman, 13-2 Sunracing FORM D Shaw 2 from 11; K R Burke 2
De Brion, Lookaway.
3.35: 1 SHALLOW RIVER B Harris (10-
Kennedy (1-3 fav); 2 Pastorale (16-1);
3 Mel Monroe (5-1). 6 ran. 12l; 33/4l. G
Jumeira Vision, 15-2 King Of Speed, 14 Harbour Vision to Stormy Waves (9-5) (Newmarket from 11; A Carroll 5 from 33; M 1); 2 Hititi (4-1); 3 Mill Green (12-1). 11 ran
BRODIE’S BOY (9-3) 7-2 led until 1f Appleby 5 from 35; I Williams Elliott. T: €1.34; €1.10, €3.60. Ex: €6.20.
WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED: 3 out, headed run-in, btn 4l by Lady Of 1m hcap (4) £7,851 good to firm).
4 from 34. JOCKEYS with
(Goshhowposh 6-4 fav). 1/2l; 3l. Anthony Trifecta: €11.90. CF: €7.29.
2023: Kingwell 4-9-1, G Wood 28-1 (Mrs I G-Leveque), dr 8, 13 ran. Spain (9-2) (9 ran) (W’hampton 1m 1f ETRETAT (9-7) 7-13 ridden 1f out, faded, Charlton. T: £13.40; £3, £1.50, £3. Ex: 2.45: 1 HIDDENVALLEY LAKE D J
nov stks (4) £5,373 AW). 5th of 8 (btn 6 /4l) to Golden Strike best record in last 14 days: J £70.60. Tricast: £498.93. Trif: £581.40.
Fanning 5 wins from 15 rides; M O’Keeffe (3-1 fav); 2 Beacon Edge (16-
WIN 2,000,000 WITH BETMGM’S GOLDEN
6.00
GIVE IT UP (8-10) 7-1 led 7f out, hung (9-7) (Ayr 6f mdn (5) £3,672 soft). CF: £50.64. NR: American Sniper.
Ghiani 5 from 16; T Marquand 5); 3 Da Capo Glory (6-1). 8 ran. 31/4l;
left 2f out, headed 1f out, no extra, MAREFUORI (8-12) 15-2 kept on, 4th of 4.05: 1 CAROLE’S PASS J Quinlan
GOALS HCAP (6); £4,501; 7f (11 runners) /4l. H Bromhead. T: €4.10; €1.20, €2.10,
3
4th of 9 (btn 1 /4l) to Swordstick (8-6)
1 5 (btn 10l) to Go Daddy (9-8) (Nott- 8 from 33; C Shepherd 5 from (11-1); 2 Malina Girl (7-2); 3 Kestrel €1.50. Ex: €12.50. Trif: €59.50. CF: €12.84.
(Southwell 1m mdn (5) £3,942 AW). ingham 11/4m hcap (3) £10,800 soft). 21; J Hart 6 from 31; R Ryan 11 Valley (12-1). 5 ran (Galia Des Liteaux
1 3-2772 DION BAKER 7 (P;D) CAELAN (8-12) 11-1 rear, ridden 2f out, LIVINTHELIFE (9-9) 9-2 kept on, 4th 3.15: 1 AODHAN MAY P Byrnes (16-1);
from 57; H Doyle 6 from 46. 4-5 fav). 71/2l; 1l. A Murphy. T: £12; £1.70, 2 Full Noise (9-1); 3 Clear The Clouds
(7) M Wigham 5-9-9 . . . . . Adam Farragher 93 ran green, outpaced 2f out, rallied of 7 (btn 5 1/ 4l) to Amiwithani (9-5) TRAINERS who have had the £3.60. Ex: £45.90. Trif: £207.10. CF: £46.11.
last, never a danger, 5th of 8 (btn 6l) (Kempton 11/2m hcap (5) £4,187 AW). (4-1 jtfav). 15 ran (Zeeband 4-1 jtfav). 4l;
Runs: 28 Wins: 1 (F) Places: 9 £25,481 most runners since last win: R 4.35: 1 ASK ME EARLY J J Burke 1
/2l. C Byrnes. T: €17; €4.40, €3.30, €2.
K Watson 105; A Dunn 43. (15-2); 2 Run To Milan (7-2 fav); 3 Good
FIND MORE BIG DEALS AT BETUK HANDICAP (5);
Tough to win with, often outpaced before staying on late, could place
2 2-2224 MUMAYAZ 9 (T;D) 7.30 winner £5,154; 1m 1f 104yds. (12 runners) JOCKEYS who have had the
most rides since last win: C
Boy Bobby (12-1). 13 ran. 9l; 13/4l. H Fry.
T: £8.50; £2.90, £1.90, £3.40. Ex: £37.
Ex: €157.80. Tricast: €704.76. Trifecta:
€953.20. CF: €151.01.
3.45: 1 AMERICAN MIKE J W
(8) A Carroll 5-9-9 . . . . . . . . William Carson 95 1 (8) 60870-8 DEMBE 40 (C) B Johnson 6-9-9 .................................... Callum Shepherd 88 Howarth 63; J Gordon 48. Tric: £329.02. Trifecta: £455. CF: £36.33. Kennedy (7-2); 2 Nick Rockett (6-4); 3
Runs: 32 Wins: 2 (A,G) Places: 14 £38,610 2 (11) 264589- DAHEER 48 (T;CD) M Loughnane 7-9-9 ................................Luke Morris 85 NR: Musical Slave, Secret Reprieve. Minella Cocooner (11-8 fav). 5 ran. 11/4l;
Frustrating, suffers from seconditis, never far away, frame fodder again 3 (4) 3368-48 SKILLED WARRIOR 13 (P) G Tuer 6-9-9 ................................Sam James 92
4 (6) 1366-37 TIGER BEETLE 25 (CD) M Rimell 6-9-8 .................................Rob Hornby 98
TOP TRAINERS 5.05: 1 TEESHAN H Cobden (10-11
fav); 2 Peacenik (14-1); 3 Sawdust
13l. G Elliott. T: €4.50; €1.60, €1.10. Ex:
€10.10. Trifecta: €16.60. CF: €9.82.
3 347-44 PLUMETTE 23 (CD) 5 (9) 9436-32 ROMILDA 7 (T;BF) W Haggas 4-9-7..............................Tom Marquand l99 2019-2024 A Carroll 86-905, P (13-2). 10 ran. 7l; 8 1/ 2l. P Nicholls. T: 4.15: 1 YOUNG DEV D King (12-1);
(10) Steph Hollinshead 8-9-9Dougie Costello 85 6 (10) 180648- LUDO’S LANDING 170 C Johnston 4-9-7..............................Joe Fanning 83 Evans 77-609, M Appleby 74-636, £1.91; £1.10, £3.40, £1.60. Ex: £16.60. 2 Rolly Bowley Boy (4-1); 3 Positive
7 (12) 747-629 LIGHT UP OUR STARS 3 (H,T;CD) S Dixon 8-9-4 ............... Phil Dennis 94 M Loughnane 67-666, M Botti Trif: £83.70. CF: £17.72. NR: Clap Of T, Thinker (5-2 fav). 8 ran. 3 3/4l; 41/4l. D
Runs: 40 Wins: 7 (5A,2G) Places: 7 £44,830 8 (1) 05785-8 GREATEST TIME 17 P Evans 4-9-4...........................Jordan Williams (5) 86 Goddess Afrana, Mount Washington,
Not beaten far off this mark last time but needs a strong pace, outsider 45-374, W Haggas 38-161, K R Hogan. T: €14.40; €3.10, €1.10, €1.30.
9 (3) 51-3233 GREAT BLASKET 10 (BF,CD) Newland/Insole 4-9-3 ........ Rossa Ryan 97 Burke 38-293, C Appleby 35-109, Staff Sergeant Len, West Hill Verde. Ex: €53.90. Tricast: €162.34. Trifecta:
4 8291-3 WAKE UP HARRY 23 (BH;D) 10 (7) 0751-93 SENSE OF WORTH 26 S Spencer 8-9-2 ....................................Dale Swift 90 JACKPOT: Not won, £10,233.61 c/o. €498.70. CF: €62.04.
D Shaw 27-308, S Dixon 27-412. P/POT: £319.20. Q/POT: £53.20
11 (2) 657-07 LOOKINGDANDY 12 P Evans 6-9-0 ............................Alistair Rawlinson 80 4.45: 1 CANTICO Mr P W Mullins
(1) B Toomey 6-9-8 . . . . . Callum Shepherd l99 12 (5) 674-551 TRIBAL WISDOM 28 I Williams 5-9-0 .............................Billy Loughnane 96
THIS SEASON: A Carroll 6, M
Runs: 19 Wins: 2 (2A) Places: 5 £13,452 Appleby 4, D Shaw 4 LINGFIELD (4-11 fav); 2 Olympy De Cerisy (13-2);
BETTING: 11-4 Romilda, 7-2 Great Blasket, 4 Tribal Wisdom, 13-2 Tiger Beetle, 12 Going: Standard 3 Lough Owel (9-1). 5 ran. 6l; 15l. W P
In good form, blinkers added after good course run off this mark, player Light Up Our Stars, Skilled Warrior, 14 Sense Of Worth, 16 Dembe
WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED and 2023: No corresponding race. TOP JOCKEYS 1.27: 1 MICK’S SPIRIT Mr R Birkett Mullins. T: €1.37; €1.10, €1.70. Ex: €3.40.
5 565-52 RING OF GOLD 17 (B;CD) 2019-2024 L Morris 121-1046, R
(9-4 fav); 2 Confederation (18-5); 3 Trifecta: €10.80. CF: €3.50. NR: Rodney.
(9) M & D Easterby 7-9-7 . . . Joanna Mason 96
Runs: 31 Wins: 3 (3A) Places: 12 £30,302
Sunracing FORM Ryan 106-554, H Doyle 95-617,
JOCKEYFORM TRAINERFORM
GREAT BLASKET (9-4) 2-1 fav not D Probert 89-782, C Shepherd
Fast finisher, often blows his chance by missing the break, risky call DAHEER (9-12) 22-1 not clear run, 9th of 57-466, C Lee 46-363, T TOTAL WINS TO RIDES RIDES £1 LEVEL
12 (btn 11l) to Amazing (9-5) (W’hamp- clear run 1f out, stayed on, unlucky, TOTAL WINS TO RUNNERS STRIKE £1 LEVEL
6 0257-6 SIENNA BREEZE 3 ton 11/2m hcap (5) £5,757 AW). 3rd (btn 1/2l) GREATEST TIME (9-2) Marquand 44-305, B Loughnane WINS LAST WEEK SINCE WIN STAKE WINS LAST WEEK RATE % STAKE
(2) J Owen 6-9-4 . . . . . . . . . . . Joe Leavy (7) 87 TIGER BEETLE (8-10) 12-1 ran on, 7th of 25-1 8th (btn 5l) (9 ran) (W’hampton 43-259, J Fanning 42-281. 121 H Cobden 9-36 0 -88 89 P Nicholls 8-27 24 -21
Runs: 19 Wins: 1 (F) Places: 2 £9,180 11 (btn 3 /2l) to Queen Of Ipanema (9-8)
1 1m 1f hcap (5) £3,716 AW). THIS SEASON: R Ryan 12, C 121 S Bowen 0-5 6 +113 85 F O’Brien 1-12 20 -5
(Southwell 1m 3f hcap (3) £7,851 AW). GREAT BLASKET (9-3) 9-4 fav ran on, Shepherd 6, J Mason 5. 86 B Hughes 1-21 5 -190 78 D Skelton 2-17 15 +38
Pulled her head off on stable debut, mark left unchanged, best swerved ROMILDA (9-9) 6-5 fav stayed on well, 3rd of 9 (btn 2l) to Epsom Faithfull (9-6) 84 S Twiston-D 0-17 20 +35 75 N Henderson 3-18 22 -3
7 4235-5 BURABACK 13 (D) btn nk by Masqool (8-11) (8 ran)
(Lingfield 11/4m hcap (5) £4,711 AW).
(Lingfield 1m hcap (5) £7,328 AW).
SENSE OF WORTH (9-12) 4-1 kept on,
TRAINER TRACE 74 G Sheehan 2-24 6 -25 71 O Murphy 5-12 21 -14
49 H Skelton 1-6 2 -55 60 N Twiston-D 0-12 20 -4
(3) D Shaw 5-9-2 . . . . . . . . .Lewis Edmunds 98 LUDO’S LANDING (9-6) 16-1 no show, 3rd of 5 (btn 4l) to Carlton (8-12) (New- FIRST RACE FOR NEW YARD: 48 N De Boinville 2-9 2 -27 59 D McCain 1-15 13 +2
Runs: 27 Wins: 3 (3A) Places: 5 £21,687 last of 8 (btn 8l) to Halla Dubai (9-12) castle 11/2m hcap (5) £4,527 AW). 5.30 Jumeira Vision A Watson 42 J O’Neill Jr 2-10 0 -81 53 B Pauling 5-15 17 0
Stable debut ignored, this is his trip and yard going well, out-run odds (Windsor 1m hcap (4) £5,653 good). TRIBAL WISDOM (9-4) 10-3 ran on, to K Scott; Rogue Warrior 41 S Quinlan 2-12 0 -117 53 Jonjo O’Neill 3-11 15 +26
LIGHT UP OUR STARS (9-5) 9-1 ran readily, bt Masqool (9-4) 2l (12 ran) ToClover to Mrs N Evans. 40 T Cannon 4-14 3 -81 48 L Russell 2-18 14 -24
8 875-078 THE TOFF 2 (P;D) on, held run-in, btn /2l by Flatley (9-7)
1
(Lingfield 11/4m hcap (6) £5,234 AW).
RACEFAX: None. LONGEST 39 T Bellamy 0-9 11 -108 43 G L Moore 3-12 16 -9
(11) K Scott 4-9-2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phil Dennis 89 GAMBLE RESPONSIBLY WITH BETUK CLASSIFIED
Runs: 20 Wins: 1 (A) Places: 4 £16,956
Mark has dropped but well held at Newcastle on Sat, others preferred
8.00 STAKES (6); winner £5,443; 1m 4f. (12 runners)
TRAVELLERS: Jumeira Vision
(5.30) & The Toff (6.00) trained
37
35
35
J Bowen
B Jones
H Brooke
1-19
2-3
4-14
17
0
0
-60
+3
-13
42
36
35
V Williams
J Snowden
O Greenall
1-6
0-7
2-3
21
19
15
-2
-2
+4
1 (4) 0/591 BELLA BLUESKY 7 (T;D) E Whillans 8-9-13............................ Jason Hart 96 by K Scott, Galashiels, round
trip of 486 miles; Bella Bluesky 33 J Burke 3-17 1 -71 34 J Tizzard 0-9 12 0
9 004-81 SWISS ROWE 21 (P;CD) 2 (3) 525/6-0 BENZ 27 (B) R Watson (Ire) 6-9-9 .................................... Adam Farragher 80 33 M Nolan 0-7 8 -10 33 N Mulholland 0-6 10 -16
(6) M Loughnane 6-9-0 . . Billy Loughnane 96 3 (1) 73258-6 DELVEY 32 K Jewell 5-9-9 ..........................................................Luke Morris 97 (8.00) trained by E Whillans,

GREYHOUND TIPS AND SP

Runs: 27 Wins: 3 (3A) Places: 4 £16,028 4 (5) 9/777-4 FANDABIDOZI 9 (P,T) G Hanmer 6-9-9 ....................Josephine Gordon 95 Hawick, round trip of 460 miles;
Bounced back with narrow Kempton win, 4lb rise fair, makes appeal 5 (11) 546176- GHOSTLY 69 (B;C,D) S Barclay 6-9-9 .................................Hollie Doyle l99 Aconcagua Mountain (8.30), I
6 (10) 6568-50 JENNY REN 9 (CD) Sarah Hollinshead 9-9-9 ................... David Probert 82 Jardine, Carrutherstown, round
10 60-212 BIG NARSTIE 18 (B,T;BF,CD) 7 (9) 58-7897 KITTEN’S DREAM 7 (V;C,D) S Dixon 7-9-9 ................ Andrea Pinna (7) 84 trip 410 miles. SELECTIONS RESULTS
8 (12) 27286-2 MISS SLIGO 7 (B,T;CD) J Osborne 7-9-9 ........................Saffie Osborne 98 nROMFORD: 10.47 Calypso Rose (1-6-3) nSHEFFIELD: 1.59 Black Lantern
(4) M Appleby 6-8-11 . . . . . . . . . Luke Morris 97
Runs: 31 Wins: 3 (3A) Places: 3 £29,257 9 (2) 589-188 CORSICAN CAPER 9 (V;D) K Frost 4-9-7 ............................Joe Leavy (7) 94
10 (6) 560986- PINK WALLS 64 L Williamson 4-9-7 ....................................... Alex Jary (5) 78
UNDER ORDERS 11.02 Cher Why Not (nap) (4-5-6) 11.17
Mayses Stan (6-1-2) 11.32 Young Velvet
11-10f (4-6-2 BAGS F £4.660). 2.19
Whitewood Luke 6-1 (6-1-4 £27.16). 2.39
Useful, well backed last three and gone close or won, dangerous 11 (8) 9336-40 REBECCA WEST 9 (P) A Dunn 4-9-7 ........................... Kieran Shoemark 94 SEVEN-DAY WINNERS: (nb) (5-6-3) 11.47 Franklins Pace (1-3-4) Onlyfoolsanddogs 6-4 (6-3-2 £4.07 TC
Starsong (8.30) won at 12.02 Bubbly Jack (4-5-3) 12.17 Sirius £0.00). 2.59 Links Weapon 8-1 (2-6-5
11 767-97 PIERREFONDS 13 (H) 12 (7) /945-77 SAO TIMOTHY 7 (H) R Stephens 4-9-7 ............................... Marco Ghiani 86 £35.37 TC £76.75). 3.17 Are Malikian
BETTING: 10-3 Miss Sligo, 7-2 Bella Bluesky, 7 Delvey, 15-2 Ghostly, 10 Fandabidozi, W’hampton (6f). Bella Bluesky Warrior (1-5-3) 12.32 Perfecto Buick (6-
(5) J Jones 4-8-10. . . . . . . . . . . .Dylan Hogan 85 Rebecca West, Corsican Caper, Jenny Ren (8.00) won at Southwell (1m 4f). 2-5) 12.47 Underground Girl (1-4-5) 1.02 13-8jt (1-3-4 £4.69 TC £10.95). 3.37
Runs: 5 £0 Young Endova (2-4-6) 1.17 Highway Pet Frankton Sal 13-8f (5-6-1 £30.22 TC
WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED and 2023: No corresponding race. BLINKERED FIRST TIME: (1-2-3) 1.33 Droopys Naughty (6-2-4) £60.87). 3.57 Romeo To Victory 7-4 (4-2-
Huge price on hcap debut and ran accordingly, nearer last than first 6.00 Wake Up Harry. VISORED
BUILD YOUR ACCA WITH BETUK HANDICAP (6); value
8.30 nSWINDON: 10.54 Ballyregan Lena 5 £3.49 TC £10.29). 4.17 Blastoff Mainoo
BETTING: 7-2 Big Narstie, 4 Wake Up Harry, Ring Of Gold, 5 to the winner £5,757; 5f. (9 runners) FIRST TIME: None. FIRST (5-4-6) 11.09 Clover Spark (3-5-2) 11.24 4-5f (1-4-5 £12.79 TC £78.00). 4.33 Nolas
Mumayaz, 8 Swiss Rowe, Dion Baker, 12 Plumette, 16 Sienna Breeze RUN SINCE WIND OP: None. Rock It Rambo (4-1-5) 11.39 Shark Gun Hope 5-1 (4-3-1 £42.96). 4.51 Laredo
1 (5) 57-8901 STARSONG 6 (C) M Appleby 5-9-10(5ex) .......................... Luke Morris l99 WEIGHTWATCHER: 5.30 (4-3-2) 11.54 Eagles Dare (nap) (2-1-3) Chuka 2-1 (2-3-5 £3.92 TC £0.00). 5.11
WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED and 2023: No corresponding race. 2 (1) 1122-42 DARLO PRIDE 10 (T,V;D) A Carson 4-9-9 ......................William Carson 98 Harbour Vision (won off 67, 12.09 Vegas Flyer (6-4-5) 12.24 Gunshot Trickysteddybear 3-1 (1-5-4 £30.27 TC
3 (7) 113540- WEDGEWOOD 64 (CD) A Carroll 4-9-6 .................................. Hollie Doyle 88 £80.21). 5.29.
BETMGM: IT’S SHOWTIME NOVICE STAKES (4); 3-y-o;
6.30 down 8lb to 59); 6.00 Buraback King (3-4-1) 12.39 Mohican Ellie (nb)
4 (4) 10460-4 MUNIFICENT 33 (CD) C Banham 6-9-2 ................................Joey Haynes 97 (5-1-4) 12.54 Port West Star (1-3-2) 1.08 nSUNDERLAND: 10.54 Big Time Crazy
value to winner £6,156; 1m 2f. (5 runners) 5 (2) -314736 JACQUELINA 3 (CD) P McEntee 5-9-1 ......................Josephine Gordon 92 (won off 65, down 7lb to 58);
Mohican Cerys (3-2-1) 1.24 Charlies Eske 10-3 (DH 2nd 3-1-5 £6.17, 3-5-1 £12.36).
1 (2) ANCIENT MYTH K Burke 9-7....................................................... Clifford Lee — 6 (8) 579-362 CONFEDERATION 8 (T;D) D Cunha 4-9-1 ..................Rhys Clutterbuck 96 The Toff (won off 67, down 9lb (5-4-6) 1.39 One For Moll (5-4-3) 11.09 Budges Girls 5-1 (6-5-1 BAGS F
2 (1) 63 BURSINEL 16 W Haggas 9-7.............................................. Tom Marquand 90 7 (9) 46659-9 ACONCAGUA MOUNTAIN 35 (B;CD) I Jardine 6-9-0 .........non-runner 89 to 58); Big Narstie (won off 67, nSUNDERLAND: 1.57 Noirs Johnny (5-4- £10.87 TC £25.68). 11.24 Unexpected
3 (4) 3- CUPID’S DREAM 89 C Appleby 9-7.................................David Probert l99 8 (6) 005926- ALFRED COVE 117 (D) A Carroll 5-9-0 .................................... Tom Eaves 93 down 14lb to 53). JOB JOCKEY: 1) 2.17 Noirs Primrose (5-4-2) 2.37 Witton Guest 5-2 (2-6-5 £16.84 TC £83.90).
9 (3) 345-216 THE TRON 18 (V;CD) D Shaw 6-8-13 .................................Joanna Mason 95 R Ryan rides Great Blasket REST OF MEETING ABANDONED
4 (3) ENDLESS VICTORY C Appleby 9-7 ..................................Daniel Tudhope — Clem (nb) (1-3-5) 2.56 Hazy Idea (6-1-2)
nTOWCESTER: 3.02 Chelms Elaine 11-8
5 (5) NORTH WINTERFELL S Woods 9-7 ..................................... Robert Havlin — BETTING: 7-2 Darlo Pride, 9-2 The Tron, Starsong, Confederation, 10 Munificent (7.30) for Dr R Newland & J 3.13 Te Amo Harry (nap) (6-4-1) 3.33
(4-6-2 BAGS F £34.70). 3.18 Salacres
BETTING: 6-4 Cupid’s Dream, 5-2 Endless Victory, 9-2 Ancient Myth, 5 Bursinel WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED: abd 1 2 9 5 Insole, 4 from 12, 33%. Tullymurry Lingo (4-1-3) 3.53 Marinas
Mac 2-5f (2-3-5 £11.36). 3.38 Miracle
WHERE FAVOURITES FINISHED and 2023: No corresponding race. 2023: Astrophysics 11-9-6 Dougie Costello 6-1 (A Carroll) drawn 6, 8 ran. Morocco (2-1-3) 4.11 Nissels Nova (3-1-4) 11-10f (5-4-1 £4.83). 3.58 Run Ella
4.29 Hadtobe Silver (1-4-6) 4.49 Clagnagh
QUICK ABC RUNNER CHECK: C-Catterick, P-Plumpton, W-Wolverhampton
Run 11-4 (5-1-6 £6.65 TC £39.80). 4.18
Izzy (1-3-5) 5.07 Jaxmothercourage (5-1- Savana Lioness 9-4 (1-3-4 £26.02 TC
2) 5.27 Crafty Misco (5-2-1) £56.60). 4.38 Wrighty 13-8f (1-2-3 £5.22
nCENTRAL PARK: 2.04 Sup The
Aconcagua Mountain 8.30W Callin Baton Rouge 4.45P Dixie Cowboy 1.30C Great Blasket 7.30W Jenny Ren 8.00W Marefuori 7.00W Prince Quali 2.45P Sense Of Worth 7.30W
Sancerre (2-1-6) 2.24 Micks Best (nap)
TC £0.00). 4.58 Broadway Murty 9-4 (2-4-
Alfred Cove 8.30W Carrarea 3.30C El Jefe 3.30C Greatest Time 7.30W Jumeira Vision 5.30W Micro Millions 2.30C Rebecca West 8.00W Sienna Breeze 6.00W 6 £13.89 TC £50.99).
(5-1-3) 2.44 Fawkham Prince (5-4-2) nYARMOUTH: 10.47 Cecils Prodigy 9-4
Alto Alto 2.45P Celtic Orla 3.15P Eliza Dolittle 4.45P Had To Be Hugo 2.30C Kaleb 4.15P Military Tycoon 3.15P Red Windsor 4.15P Singapore Trip 2.00C 3.01 Slaheny Sandy (nb) (5-6-4) 3.19
Chanceux 3.45P Endless Victory 6.30W Hajey 2.00C King Of Speed 5.30W Milldam 3.30C Rhiannon Ring 1.30C Skilled Warrior 7.30W (3-6-5 BAGS F £23.84 TC £52.05). 11.02
Ancient Myth 6.30W Harlequin Syd (6-2-3) 3.39 Senahel Gent Unlikely Maddie 5-2 (3-6-5 £9.01 TC
Aviles 2.45P Chatshow Host 2.30C Etretat 7.00W Harbour Vision 5.30W Kitten’s Dream 8.00W Minella Trump 4.00C Ring Of Gold 6.00W Speed Davis 1.30C (2-1-3) 3.59 Harlequin Missy (3-1-2) 4.17
Colours On Canvas 4.15P Harper Valley 2.00C Miss Sligo 8.00W Rioja Alta 1.30C Starsong 8.30W £19.97). 11.17 Ballygur Mantle 7-1 (3-1-6
Ballybeen 3.45P Eventful 4.45P Koenigsstern 3.15P Broadway Sugar (4-1-2) 4.34 Maglass £52.02 TC £177.42). 11.32 Cloncunny
Confederation 8.30W Fandabidozi 8.00W Hasty Parisian 2.15P Kotmask 3.45P Moonlight Glory 3.30C Rock Hurley 2.00C Swiss Rowe 6.00W About (2-4-1) 4.54 Stophers Jesus (3-4-
Bella Bluesky 8.00W Conquredalofeurope 3.00C Hill Of Tara 2.15P Mr Le Philosophe 1.30C Rocky Man 2.00C Tap N Go Leo 2.30C Sydney 15-8f (1-3-4 £9.84 TC £0.00).
Benz 8.00W Fieldsman 5.30W Lady Berlais 4.45P 6) 5.14 Droopys Commute (1-4-6) 5.33 11.47 Old Fort Tenesee 5-1 (3-4-2 £50.45
Corsican Caper 8.00W HMS President 3.15P Mumayaz 6.00W Rogue Warrior 5.30W The Churchill Lad 3.30C Piemans Jetta (6-2-1)
Big Narstie 6.00W Floueur 4.00C Holly 3.30C Lario 3.15P TC £158.06). 12.02 Murrow Toaster 9-2
Court Case 2.30C Munificent 8.30W Romilda 7.30W The Toff 6.00W nMONMORE: 1.51 Jaguar Isla (nap) (4- (1-6-2 £23.69 TC £75.93). 12.17 Says You
Birdman Bob 4.15P Criquette 4.45P For Pleasure 3.30C Homme D’Un Soir 4.15P Le Jeune Bresil 2.30C North Winterfell 6.30W Rosenpur 1.30C The Tron 8.30W 2-6) 2.09 Sporting Queen (4-6-1) 2.29 Do 2-1jt (3-1-2 £11.32 TC £43.01). 12.32
Bombay Sapphire 4.45P Cupid’s Dream 6.30W Freddy Boy 3.15P Ideal Du Tabert 3.00C Legionar 4.15P Omar Maretti 4.00C Rosserk Abbey 2.15P Tiger Beetle 7.30W Drumdoit Gabby (3-6-4) 2.49 Crossfield Coolavanny Arnie 7-4f (1-6-2 £10.32
Bowler Jack 1.30C Daheer 7.30W Gearing’s Point 4.45P Inferno Sacree 2.00C Light Up Our Stars 7.30W On The Nose 3.15P Sambezi 4.15P Tom Cody 3.00C Ciara (6-3-5) 3.07 Chanceme Siu (nb) TC £43.21). 12.47 Curtain Twitcher 5-2
Brodie’s Boy 7.00W Dancing Master 3.15P Ghostly 8.00W Inigo 3.15P Livinthelife 7.00W Onewayortother 3.15P Samillier 2.30C Tribal Wisdom 7.30W (2-3-4) 3.27 Lioness (2-1-5) 3.47 Three- (4-5-2 £16.34 TC £48.71). 1.02 Cecils
Buraback 6.00W Darlo Pride 8.30W Give It Up 7.00W Island Native 5.30W Local Music 5.30W Pickanumber 1.30C San Pedro 2.15P Val Dancer 3.00C timesanight (5-2-1) 4.06 Birchgrove Izak Nailed It 10-11f (2-1-5 £4.01 TC £10.29).
Bursinel 6.30W Delvey 8.00W Give Me A Moment 2.45P Jacquelina 8.30W Lookingdandy 7.30W Pierrefonds 6.00W Sao Timothy 8.00W Very Excellent 3.30C (4-1-3) 4.24 Tullymurry Rapid (5-2-3) 4.42 1.17 Cecils Law 11-8f (4-2-5 £11.05 TC
Bushypark 4.00C Dembe 7.30W Golfe Clair 2.00C Jalisco Star 2.30C Ludo’s Landing 7.30W Pink Walls 8.00W Scarface 3.45P Wake Up Harry 6.00W Jaguar Rosie (6-1-3) 4.59 Blame Me Not £51.75). 1.33 Hashtag Bennie 2-1f (5-6-2
Caelan 7.00W Dion Baker 6.00W Good News 2.15P Je Suis Sacre 3.15P Majestic Jameela 4.45P Plumette 6.00W Seaside Legend 3.15P Wedgewood 8.30W (3-1-4) 5.19 Howbinya Mos (5-2-3) £11.51 TC £53.87).
 ‘Elbow of God’ fury
Monday, February 12, 2024

BAMFORD DOES
A MARADONA
See Pages
10 & 11

HE’S BACK IN BUSINESS . . .

Erling Haaland celebrates with
Manchester City team-mates
Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne

ALIVE ‘N
Man City.............2
Everton...............0
By MARTIN BLACKBURN
ERLING HAALAND says
Manchester City are in

CLICKING
the groove and ‘clicking
at just the right time’ of
the season.
The Norwegian struck
twice as the champions
briefly went to the top of
the table after beating
Everton on Saturday.
Haaland’s first goals
since late November made
it TEN wins in a row in
all competitions for Pep
Guardiola’s men, who have
traditionally started to go

Haaland: We’re close to our best

in association with through the gears at this
stage of the campaign.
Haaland said: “It’s a
good thing to start to
Turn to Page 3
2 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
Pep’s hounds
always give
City a sniff
FORMER defender JOHN
GIDMAN gives his verdict
on two of his old clubs
Manchester City (1986-88)
and Everton (1979-81) after
City’s 2-0 victory at the
Etihad on Saturday.
IT was clear to see Everton’s game
plan at the Etihad on Saturday was
to frustrate Manchester City, stop
them from scoring and hopefully
nick a point from the game.
And, of course, the longer it
stayed goalless the more chance
Sean Dyche’s side might get a
chance on the counter-attack or
maybe a free-kick in a key position.
The plan was working in what felt
like a tactical game of chess by the
visitors in the first 45 minutes.
But then Pep Guardiola unleashed
the hounds off the bench in the
second half — first the double
change with Kevin De Bruyne and
Kyle Walker coming on followed 20
minutes later by Bernardo Silva.
It says a lot about how well the
Everton plan was working that City
scored with their first shot on
target in the 71st minute.
How often do you see a City
game these days where they don’t
have a shot on target until there is
less than 20 minutes to go?
The players that Pep has to
change games are something very
special. The passing and vision of
De Bruyne is a thing of beauty. The
strength and guile of Rodri in the
middle is a joy to watch.
For me, Phil Foden is the best
English player in the Premier
League right now. Surely he has to
be a nailed-on starter for Gareth
Southgate at this summer’s Euros.
Then there is Erling Haaland,
whose two goals ultimately won the
game — his second showing every-
thing about his game. For a big
man, he is so quick, but his
strength to shrug off Jarrad
Branthwaite and then open his body
up to finish was impressive.
Saying all that about City, I think
they are going to have a real battle
to retain their title with Liverpool
and Arsenal looking a real threat
this season.
As for Everton, I’m confident my
old team will survive with
Dyche’s leadership. Their
next two home Prem
games are against
Palace and West Ham,
where they need to get
points on the
board.
Interview:
RUSSELL LANNING
PREMIER LEAGUE
SEAN DYCHE became the 18th boss to reach 300
Prem games (W85 D79 L136) — only one of the last
eight to reach the milestone has won their 300th
Prem fixture (Jurgen Klopp v Villa in September).
MISSION
By MARTIN
BLACKBURN
NATHAN AKE says it is
‘almost impossible’ to
stop Erling Haaland.
And he is convinced the
Norwegian will be the dif-
ference as Manchester City
go hunting more silverware
in the next four months.
You could be forgiven for
thinking the Treble winners
Ake: Stopping Haaland’s
hardly missed their leading
marksman during his two-
month injury absence.
But boss Pep Guardiola
recently said players like
Haaland are the matchwin-
ners that are needed when
his team is not playing well.
Saturday’s win over Ever-
ton illustrated the manager’s
point perfectly as City were
a long way from their best
for most of the afternoon.
Yet in the end, they did
not have to be as their
£51.4million ace gobbled up
two late chances to win it.
Defender Ake has marked
Haaland plenty of times in
training and was asked how
difficult it is to stop him.
The Holland defender
said: “Almost impossible. It’s
good to have him back —
especially for these big
moments. Out of nothing, he
can score.
“He’s so quick, he’s fast,
he’s strong. In those spaces,
one v one it’s very difficult.
“Most of the time teams
sit a little bit deeper so
there’s not much space for
him to go into but I think
sometimes we can use him
on the counter attack as we
did here.
“When he’s got space like
this, it’s difficult to stop
him.”
It had been a frustrating
afternoon for Haaland and
City with Everton defending
impressively while showing
little ambition.
But then inside the last
20 minutes the ball broke to
the striker from a corner
and he thumped it past
keeper Jordan Pickford in
the blink of an eye.
Toffees defender James
Tarkowski says the only way
to stop him is by denying
him chances — as he rarely
misses.
The former Burnley man
said: “It ricocheted off about
three people and somehow
ends up at his feet. But you
see how clinical he is.
“He gets one chance and chance like that and he’s Jarrad Branthwaite before well and in the gym. He’s
puts it away, so we get probably going to put it slipping it beneath Pickford working really hard and
punished. away.” with the minimum of fuss. you could see on the pitch
“I think it’s just the clini- The introduction of Kevin KDB’s return after more straight away he was ready
cal edge he has really. He’s
still in a position and some- De Bruyne from the bench than four months out due to to go.
how the ball ends up at early in the second half hamstring surgery also “We didn’t really expect
his feet. lifted both the team and looks like it could be vital that, no. To be honest, if
“Whether that’s the crowd. for the champions. you’re out for five or six
skill or luck I And it was the Bel- Ake (above) admitted the months normally it takes straight away — right from
don’t know but it’s gian who created the level the Belgian has you a little bit of time. the first game.”
definitely not luck second goal — rolling a reached in a month even “The way he was working, De Bruyne’s link up with
pass through for his surprised his team-mates. to be honest, with the phys- Haaland was a major fea-
the way he fin-
ishes the ball old partner-in-crime He said: “Everyone ios, you could see in the ture of City’s Treble-win-
Haaland. expected to have to give first few months he was ning campaign — so seeing
because he hits
the target and He still had plenty him a bit of time and stuff working so hard and giving them back in tandem
scores. to do but ‘rag-dolled’ but straight away he’s fit, everything to be ready. warmed the hearts of every-
“Give him a Everton defender he’s been training really “To be fair, he was ready one at the Etihad. Ake said:
Dom man to keep
JAMES TARKOWSKI is backing By MARTIN BLACKBURN outlet all the time and, when we’re
Dominic Calvert-Lewin to get the going to places like this, he is so
goals to fire Everton to safety. team-mates have full faith in the important to us.
The Toffees remain stuck in the 26-year-old to come good. “The goals will come. I keep
bottom three despite keeping He said: “There’s obviously going saying it. It’s difficult because
Manchester City at bay for more to be eyes on Dom to score goals. we’re not giving him chance after
than 70 minutes. He understands that. chance after chance.
However, they are struggling to “But as a team we know what “So he’s got to just take a
BAD RUN . . . Dominic find the net and their main threat Dom gives us and this was a good chance at some point and I’m sure
Calvert-Lewin has not Calvert-Lewin has not scored show. he will.”
scored since October 29 since October 29. “He held the ball up well and Despite their position and
Centre-half Tarkowski says his linked up well. He gives us such an worries over Financial Fair Play
 Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 3
STAT
ATTACK
LEADING GOALSCORERS
Erling Haaland (Man City, left)..16
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool).......14
Dominic Solanke (B’mouth) .......13
33 3.66 35 0
GOALS SCORED
AVE PER GAME in association with

IMPOSSIBERL
Son Heung-min (Tottenham).....12

so difficult..even in training
MAN CITY ........... 2
Haaland 71, 85
CITY SLICKER . . . Haaland
grabs the first to break the
deadlock for Manchester City EVERTON............0

GUARDIOLA . . . winning sequence

CLICKING From Page 1

click now — in the next couple of
months it’s when you win things.
“If we trust ourselves it will be
really difficult for people.”
Guardiola’s men look to be in a
three-way scrap with Liverpool
and Arsenal as they target a
fourth straight Prem crown.
Haaland feels that title-winning
experience could be crucial, say-
ing: “We just need to be up there
and know what we need to do.”
“There are several other good
teams — but we’re good as well.”
The Norwegian striker’s two
goals took his tally for the
season to 21, despite two months
out with injury.
“We know how good both And Haaland added: “We’ve
of them are and when been winning a lot whilst I’ve
Kevin comes on straight
away he looks for him —
PREM TABLE been injured so we just need to
keep going and doing that.”
P W D L F A Pts
ond His partnership with Kevin De
Branthwaite for sec
they look for each other. Liverpool 24 16 6 2 55 23 54
“It’s massive that they’re . . . star wipes out Bruyne flourished in last term’s
Man City 23 16 4 3 56 25 52
both fit, both ready to go BINGO, HA AL Arsenal 24 16 4 4 53 22 52
Tottenham 24 14 5 5 51 36 Treble-winning heroics but they
and good to see that we’re Aston Villa 24 14 4 6 50 32 46
47
linked up for a goal for the first
doing well.” Man Utd
HOW THEY LINED UP Newcastle
24 13 2 9 33 33 41
24 11 3 10 51 39 36
time this season on Saturday.
MAN CITY: Ederson, Stones, Dias, Ake, West Ham 24 10 6 8 36 42 36 The striker smiled: “It’s back
Akanji (Walker 57), Rodri, Foden, Nunes (De Brighton
Wolves
24 9 8 7 43 40 35 to normal finally — and that’s
24 9 5 10 37 39 32
Bruyne 57), Alvarez (Bernardo 77), Doku Chelsea 23 9 4 10 38 39 31 good. It feels good to be back.”
(Grealish 87), Haaland. Fulham 24 8 5 11 33 39 29
EVERTON: Pickford, Godfrey (Coleman 56), Bournemouth 23 7 6 10 31 44
Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gueye 27
Brentford 23 7 4 12 34 39 25
(Chermiti 89), Garner, Young (Onana 78),
Harrison, McNeil (Dobbin 88), Calvert-Lewin
Crystal Palace 23 6 6 11 26 40
Nottm Forest 24 5 6 13 30 44
24
21
Total match time: 103m 17s
(Beto 77). Luton 23 5 5 13 33 45 20
Everton 24 8 5 11 26 32 19 Ball in-play time: 65m 56s

us up
Burnley 24 3 4 17 25 50 13
Sheff Utd

PEP’S GOT HIS FEET

24 3 4 17 22 60 13
(Everton deducted 10 points)

UP AT HOME
MANCHESTER CITY extended
their unbeaten home run to
33 games following Saturday’s
victory against Everton —
punishments, Tarkowski says the while Erling Haaland’s opener
players are still up for the fight. was their 100th goal in that
He added: “There’s no drop-off impressive run.
here. We’re ready to go again.
“Don’t worry about us. We’re MAN CITY’S LAST 33
ready to go no matter what. HOME GAMES
“It’s been a good season for us.
I’m not disappointed. P33 W29 D4 L0 F101 A23
“We’re going well and we’ve got PICK THAT OUT . . . Pickford can
a few lads coming back soon to do nothing to stop the giant Norwegian
get fit, so the squad’s looking
score Manchester City’s second Win rate 88%
strong and ready to play.”
4 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
THE WEEK AHEAD
(7.45 unless stated)
TONIGHT
PREMIER LEAGUE
Crystal Palace v Chelsea ............ 8.0
TOMORROW
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
ROUND OF 16 FIRST LEG
FC Copenhagen v Man City........ 8.0
RB Leipzig v Real Madrid............ 8.0
SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP
Birmingham v Blackburn ...............
Bristol City v Southampton ...... 8.0
Leicester v Sheff Wed ....................
Norwich v Watford .........................
Rotherham v Hull ............................
Swansea v Leeds..............................
West Brom v Cardiff .................. 8.0
SKY BET LEAGUE ONE
Bolton v Wycombe ..........................
Burton Albion v Carlisle..................
Charlton v Lincoln City ...................
Cheltenham v Blackpool ................
Exeter v Derby .................................
Fleetwood Town v Reading ...........
Leyton Orient v Northampton ......
Oxford Utd v Wigan ........................
Peterborough v Port Vale ..............
Portsmouth v Cambridge Utd .......
Shrewsbury v Barnsley...................
Stevenage v Bristol Rovers ............
SKY BET LEAGUE TWO
Accrington v AFC Wimbledon ........
Barrow v Forest Green ...................
Bradford v MK Dons ........................
Colchester v Grimsby ......................
Crawley Town v Walsall ..................
Gillingham v Swindon .....................
Mansfield v Harrogate Town .........
Newport County v Notts County ..
Salford City v Doncaster ................
Stockport County v Crewe ............
Sutton Utd v Wrexham ..................
Tranmere v Morecambe .................
CINCH LEAGUE ONE - Alloa v Annan
Athletic, Kelty Hearts v Edinburgh
City.
CINCH LEAGUE TWO - Dumbarton v
Spartans.
VANARAMA NATIONAL - Aldershot
v AFC Fylde,FC Halifax v Maidenhead
Utd, Oldham v Boreham Wood, Solihull
Moors v Kidderminster, York v Dorking
Wanderers.
VANARAMA NORTH - Alfreton Tn v
South Shields, Chorley v Spennymoor
Tn.
VANARAMA SOUTH - Dartford v Chip-
penham, Taunton Tn v Torquay, .
THE PITCHING IN ISTHMIAN PREMIER
- Bognor Regis Tn v Wingate & Finchley,
Canvey Island v Lewes, Cheshunt v Margate,
Horsham v Haringey Borough, Potters Bar Tn
v Dulwich, Whitehawk v Concord Rangers.
THE PITCHING IN NORTHERN
PREMIER - Radcliffe v Atherton Col-
lieries, Whitby Tn v Guiseley.
THE PITCHING IN SOUTHERN PREMIER
CENTRAL - Needham Market v Leiston.
THE PITCHING IN SOUTHERN
PREMIER SOUTH - Hayes & Yeading
Utd v Didcot Tn, Hendon v Poole Tn.
WEDNESDAY
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
ROUND OF 16 FIRST LEG
Lazio v Bayern Munich ............... 8.0
PSG v Real Sociedad ................... 8.0
SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP
Huddersfield v Sunderland............
Millwall v Ipswich ....................... 8.0
Plymouth v Coventry......................
Preston v Middlesbrough ..............
Stoke v QPR ......................................
CINCH SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP
Aberdeen v Motherwell .................
Rangers v Ross County ...................
THE PITCHING IN SOUTHERN PREMIER
SOUTH - Plymouth Parkway v AFC Totton.
THURSDAY
UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE
KNOCKOUT ROUND PLAY-OFF
FIRST LEG
AC Milan v Rennes....................... 8.0
Benfica v Toulouse ..................... 8.0
Braga v Karabakh ....................... 8.0
Feyenoord v Roma ...................5.45
Galatasaray v Sparta Prague ..5.45
Lens v Freiburg ........................... 8.0
Shakhtar Donetsk v Marseille ....5.45
Young Boys v Sporting ............5.45
UEFA EUROPA CONFERENCE
LEAGUE PRELIMINARY
KNOCKOUT FIRST LEG
Ajax v Bodo/Glimt ...................... 8.0
Maccabi Haifa v Gent ................. 8.0
Molde v Legia Warsaw .............5.45
Olympiacos v Ferencvaros ......5.45
Real Betis v Dinamo Zagreb ...... 8.0
Servette v Ludogorets .............. 8.0
Sturm Graz v S Bratislava ......... 5.45
U Saint Gilloise v E Frankfurt...5.45
FRIDAY
FA WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE
Chelsea v Man City ....................7.15
SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP
West Brom v Southampton ...... 8.0
CINCH CHAMPIONSHIP - Raith v Dun-
dee Utd.
WELSH CUP QUARTER-FINAL: Briton
Ferry v The New Saints FC.
(3.0 unless stated)
SATURDAY
PREMIER LEAGUE
Brentford v Liverpool ............ 12.30
Burnley v Arsenal ............................
Fulham v Aston Villa .......................
Man City v Chelsea ...................5.30
Newcastle v Bournemouth ............
Nottm Forest v West Ham .............
Tottenham v Wolves.......................
SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP
Birmingham v Sunderland .............
Bristol City v QPR .............................
2GG
PREMIER LEAGUE
NINE of Diogo Jota’s 40 Prem goals for Liverpool
have been headers. Since his first season at the
club in 2020-21, only Harry Kane (18) and Erling
Haaland (10) have more headed PL goals.
These
Huddersfield v Hull .........................
Leicester v Middlesbrough ............
Millwall v Sheff Wed .......................
Norwich v Cardiff ............................
Plymouth v Leeds ................... 12.30
Preston v Blackburn .......................
Rotherham v Watford ....................
Stoke v Coventry .............................
Swansea v Ipswich ..........................
SKY BET LEAGUE ONE
Bolton v Charlton ............................
Carlisle v Cambridge Utd ................
Cheltenham v Port Vale .................
Derby v Stevenage ..........................
Fleetwood Town v Barnsley ..........
Leyton Orient v Burton Albion ......
Lincoln City v Exeter .......................
are
Northampton v Bristol Rovers ......
Peterborough v Blackpool .............
Portsmouth v Reading ...................
Shrewsbury v Wigan .......................
Wycombe v Oxford Utd ..................
SKY BET LEAGUE TWO
AFC Wimbledon v Morecambe.......
Bradford v Sutton Utd ...................
Colchester v Accrington ................
Crawley Town v Forest Green .......
Crewe v Harrogate Town ...............
Grimsby v Doncaster.......................
Newport County v Gillingham .......
Salford City v Barrow .....................
Swindon v MK Dons .........................
Tranmere v Stockport County ......
Walsall v Mansfield..........................
Wrexham v Notts County ..............
FA WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE
Arsenal v Man Utd .................. 12.30
CINCH SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP
Aberdeen v Hibernian ....................
the
Celtic v Kilmarnock .........................
Dundee v Ross County ....................
Hearts v Motherwell .......................
Livingston v St Mirren ....................
CINCH CHAMPIONSHIP - Airdrieoni-
ans v Ayr, Dunfermline v Arbroath,
Inverness CT v Partick, Queen’s Park
v Morton.
CINCH LEAGUE ONE - Alloa v Cove
Rangers, Annan Athletic v Stirling, Ed-
inburgh City v Queen of South, Falkirk
v Hamilton, Montrose v Kelty Hearts.
CINCH LEAGUE TWO - Bonnyrigg Rose
v East Fife, Clyde v Dumbarton, Elgin
v Stenhousemuir, Forfar v Peterhead,
Stranraer v Spartans.
VANARAMA NATIONAL - AFC Fylde v Bar-
net, Aldershot v Altrincham (5.30), Bromley
v Chesterfield, Ebbsfleet United v Eastleigh,
FC Halifax v Woking, Hartlepool v Boreham
Wood, Kidderminster v Dorking Wanderers,
Maidenhead Utd v Oldham, Oxford City v Sou-
thend, Rochdale v Solihull Moors, Wealdstone
Salah
v Gateshead, York v Dag & Red.
VANARAMA NORTH - Alfreton Tn v
King’s Lynn Tn, Boston Utd v Bishop’s
Stortford, Brackley v Peterborough
Sports, Buxton v Banbury Utd, Chorley
v Southport, Curzon Ashton v War-
rington Tn, Farsley Celtic v Chester
FC, Hereford FC v Tamworth, Rushall
Olympic v Gloucester, Scarborough
Athletic v Scunthorpe (1.0), South
Shields v Darlington, Spennymoor Tn v
Blyth Spartans.
VANARAMA SOUTH - Bath City v St
Albans, Braintree Tn v Torquay, Do-
ver v Dartford, Eastbourne Borough
v Chelmsford, Farnborough v Truro
City, Hampton & Richmond v Aveley,
Hemel Hempstead v Weston-S-Mare,
Slough v Chippenham, Taunton Tn v
Maidstone Utd, Welling v Tonbridge
Angels, Weymouth v Worthing, Yeovil
v Havant and W.
THE PITCHING IN ISTHMIAN
days
PREMIER - Billericay v Horsham, Car-
shalton Ath v Enfield Town, Cheshunt
v Cray Wanderers, Concord Rangers v
Dulwich, Hornchurch v Haringey Bor-
ough, Kingstonian v Bognor Regis Tn,
Lewes v Chatham Tn, Margate v Can-
vey Island, Potters Bar Tn v Hastings
Utd, Whitehawk v Folkestone Invicta,
Wingate & Finchley v Hashtag United.
THE PITCHING IN NORTHERN
PREMIER - Bamber Bridge v Atherton
Collieries, Bradford P A v Ashton Utd,
FC United of Manchester v Warrington
Rylands, Gainsborough Trinity v Bas-
ford Utd, Guiseley v Morpeth Tn, Hyde
Utd v Stafford Rangers, Lancaster City
v Workington, Macclesfield v Ilkeston
Tn, Matlock Tn v Worksop Tn, Radcliffe
v Marine.
THE PITCHING IN SOUTHERN PREMIER
CENTRAL - AFC Sudbury v Halesowen Tn,
Alvechurch v Stamford, Bromsgrove Sport- JURGEN KLOPP has mainly been
ing v St Ives Tn, Coalville Tn v Hitchin Tn,
Kettering v Leamington, Needham Market v able to live without Mo Salah so far
Long Eaton Utd, Redditch Utd v Berkhamsted
, Royston Tn v Mickleover, Stourbridge v Leis-
— as the Prem table shows.
ton, Stratford Tn v AFC Telford. When the striker headed off with
THE PITCHING IN SOUTHERN Egypt, after scoring twice in a 4-2 win
PREMIER SOUTH - Bracknell Tn v over Newcastle, Liverpool’s lead at the
Dorchester Tn, Didcot Tn v Beacons- top stretched to three points.
field Tn, Gosport Borough v Salisbury
The gap is still two, while a meeting
KLOPP NEEDS
FC, Hayes & Yeading Utd v AFC Totton,
Hendon v Hungerford Tn, Plymouth with Chelsea in the Carabao Cup
Parkway v Merthyr Tn, Poole Tn v Bas- final has also been secured.
ingstoke Tn, Sholing v Chesham Utd,
Swindon Supermarine v Harrow Bor-
The victory over Vincent
ough, Walton & Hersham v Tiverton Kompany’s Burnley took the goal
Tn, Winchester City v Hanwell Tn. tally to 24 in the eight games
KOP TALISMAN
WELSH CUP QUARTER-FINALS: Bala he has missed so far.
Tn v Flint Mountain FC (2.0), Buckley Tn
v Connah’s Quay Nomads (2.0), Cardiff
Salah, recovering from ham-
Met Uni v Colwyn Bay (2.0). string trouble, is not the only
one who has been missing.
SUNDAY Influential midfielder Dom-
PREMIER LEAGUE inik Szoboszlai is also injured
MO BACK FOR
Luton v Man Utd .......................4.30 while Andy Robertson made
Sheff Utd v Brighton ................. 2.0
his first start in almost four
FA WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE months after shoulder surgery.
Brighton v Liverpool ............... 12.0
Another Anfield icon in
Everton v West Ham .................. 1.0
Leicester v Bristol City ................... Trent Alexander-Arnold was
also out for three weeks with
TITLE RUN-IN
Tottenham v Aston Villa ........... 2.0
CINCH SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP a knee problem.
St Johnstone v Rangers .......... 12.0 And things are starting to get
MONDAY a little frazzled around the edges.
EDGY . . . Klopp is clearly Liverpool were ghosts of them-
PREMIER LEAGUE missing striker Mo Salah selves in a 3-1 defeat at Arsenal
Everton v Crystal Palace ........... 8.0
VANARAMA SOUTH - Aveley v Maid-
stone Utd (7.45).
 2GG Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 5
BURNLEY have lost 14 of their 18 Prem MOST PREM SHOTS THIS SEASON (incl blocks) in association with
Darwin Nunez (Liverpool, left) ............................ 78
meetings with Liverpool (W2 D2) — their Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth) ....................... 73
joint-most defeats against a side in the Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).................................. 70
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)....................................... 68
competition along with Manchester City. Erling Haaland (Manchester City).......................67

ANFIELD GLOWED . . . Luis Dias

celebrates with fellow scorer Diogo Jota
(right) after netting Liverpool’s second in
front of their biggest-ever league crowd

LIVERPOOL..............3
Jota 31; Diaz 52; Nun
ez 79
BURNLEY .................. 1 YELLOW RIVER
O’Shea 45
SO far this season 1,045 yellow cards have
been shown in 237 Prem matches — an
average of 4.4 per game.
Attendance: 59,896 The current highest season for yellows,
1998-99, came at 3.7 cards per match.
Match time: 102m 10s AVERAGE PREM YELLOWS PER GAME
Ball in-play time: 55m
49s Total
yellows
Yellows
per game

BACK SUPPORT *2023-24 1,045

1998-99 1,404 3.7
4.4

TRENT ALEXANDER
of his team-mate -ARNOLD went ahead 2016-17 1,392 3.7
the most all-time Andy Robertson for 2022-23 1,374 3.6
in Premier League assists by defenders
history.
2014-15 1,361 3.5
MOST ASSISTS BY *Still running
DEFENDERS
IN PREM HISTORY CONCERNING figures for the Premier League
show that cards for dissent and time
Trent Alexander-Arnold wasting have already blitzed numbers
58
Andy Robertson from the last four seasons.
57
Leighton Baines
53 CARDS FOR DISSENT
Graeme Le Saux
Antonio Valencia
44 & TIME WASTING
39 (PREMIER LEAGUE - LAST FIVE SEASONS)
Dissent 156

Time wasting 125

85 89
74 72 71 70
67
56

GAMES 380 380 380 380 237

2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24

PREM’S WORST OFFENDERS

YELLOWS FOR YELLOWS FOR
DISSENT TIME WASTING
Chelsea 15 Aston Villa 11
Man Utd 14 Chelsea 11
Fulham 14 Wolves 11

By KEN
LAWRENCE
last week. Saturday’s clash with a team
that had already lost 16 times in the
league was just as flat.
There was the worry, too, that Alexander-
Arnold could now face at least another
three weeks out after being forced off with
a recurrence of the same left-knee issue.
In front of the biggest–ever Anfield
attendance for a league game — 59,896,
now that the expanded Anfield Road End
is fully operational — Klopp’s side were
close to stinking the place out for a while.
Harvey Elliott added some buzz after he
replaced TAA and also delivered the two
telling crosses from which Luis Diaz and
Darwin Nunez ensured victory.
But the performance as a whole was an
inspiration bypass. It was haphazard,
lacked focus and relied on loads of luck.
Had David Datro Fofana taken two
glorious chances midway through the
second half, Kompany’s Clarets could have
walked away with the shock of the season.
Salah would probably have changed the
uncertainty into a walk in the park — he
has, after all, racked up 151 Premier
League goals for the Reds.
And no Liverpool player in Klopp’s
reign has taken the game to the opposi-
tion more than him. Despite missing ten
games overall, he is still this season’s
14-goal leading scorer — and he still tops
the Kop assist charts with nine.
Klopp cannot be sure yet if Salah will
return to training this week or next but his
own display on the touchline showed that,
without his talisman, the boss is getting
as edgy as his players and the fans.
Liverpool almost always look a different
team with Salah leading the charge.
A bit like when Kevin De Bruyne is
orchestrating things for Manchester City.
The sides go head-to-head on March 10
— with three league games in between for
Liverpool.
Brentford, Luton and Nottingham Forest
are not exactly scary opposition while,
having battered Chelsea 4–1 at Anfield two
weeks ago, Klopp will be confident they
can do the same at Wembley in 13 days’
time — with or without Salah.
The crunch will come with the visit of
City and Salah needs to be ready for that.
Although the earlier he gets back, the
better for a side that — while not running
on empty — looks like it needs recharging.
Burnley’s race has long been run although Tottenham 10 Liverpool 8
Dara O’Shea did produce a magnificent
header to level after goalkeeper James Wolves 10 Sheff Utd 8
Trafford’s flap gave Diogo Jota an easy
opening header.
Robertson said: “It was a really difficult
afternoon against a really good team.
“I don’t know how they’re in the position
they are because they played really good
TURBO TWINS
football and they’ve got a lot of exciting KEVIN DE BRUYNE laid on his ninth Prem
young players.” assist for Erling Haaland since the start of
Kompany does know why. His side are
last season — the most in that time.
mainly virgin soldiers in the Prem and
from the start were on mission impossible.
But they are learning now and if he MOST PREM ASSISTS FOR A SPECIFIC TEAM-MATE
keeps them together, the Belgian can
be certain of flying back out of the
(Since the start of last season)
Championship again next season. KEVIN DE BRUYNE to
Midfielder Sander Berge said: “We
fought as a proper team. We were there Erling Haaland (Man City) 9
in the battles and stood up for ourselves. Darwin Nunez to
“I’m proud of the lads for effort and
what we showed on and off the ball. Mo Salah (Liverpool) 8
“This is how it has to be every week.” Michael Olise to
HOW THEY LINED UP
LIVERPOOL: Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold (Elliott 45), Quansah, Van
Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) 7
Dijk, Robertson (Tsimikas 90), Mac Allister (Clark 90), Endo
Bruno Fernandes to
(McConnell 90), Jones, Jota, Nunez, Diaz (Gakpo 82).
BURNLEY: Trafford, Assignon, O’Shea, Esteve (Vitinho 80), Delcroix, Marcus Rashford (Man Utd) 6
Ramsey (Massengo 81), Berge, Brownhill, Odobert, Datro Fofana,
Bukayo Saka to
Amdouni (Larsen 86).
Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal) 6
6 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024

PREMIER LEAGUE
BRIGHTON (20) and Tottenham (19)
have both scored and conceded in
more different Premier League games
than any other sides this season.

LATE DRAMA THREE ’N EASY . . . Johnson

. . . Johnson tucks hails his third Spurs goal and
in the winner
(below) Son hugs boss Ange

By TOM
BARCLAY
THE Sixth Sense, Seven, Saltburn
. . . they have nothing on Tottenham’s
matches under Ange Postecoglou for
shock twists.
This was the latest thriller served up by
Big Ange’s late-drama specialists as sub
Brennan Johnson netted a winner in the
96TH MINUTE.
It landed Spurs an EIGHTH point of the
season for goals scored after 90 minutes.
They were trailing against Sheffield
United before two goals in stoppage time
turned a defeat into victory while they also
secured a last-gasp win over Liverpool, as
well as December’s memorable 3-3 draw at
Manchester City.
But it has not all been happy endings.
Postecoglou’s side have also suffered some
injury-time horrors including against

NETKICKS
Chelsea, Wolves and at Everton last week.
One thing is for sure. Fixtures involving
the Aussie’s team have become the most
compelling viewing in the Premier League.
Yet skipper Son Heung-min, who came
off the bench to tee up Johnson’s strike,
would much prefer a run-of-the-mill, pre-
dictable showing than a nail-biting finale.
The South Korean, back from the Asian
Cup, said: “Obviously you don’t want to
finish in that way, it is not the best way to
win games but we will take it. You have to
believe still until the end of the game.

‘N THRILLS
“It is a good win but we want to do
better because we don’t want the fans
panicking until the last second.”
Brighton took an early lead through
Pascal Gross’ penalty after Micky van de
Ven had tripped Danny Welbeck.
Johnson admitted Spurs were shocked by
the high level of their opponents, whose
banned boss Roberto De Zerbi was back
home in Italy recovering from a dental op.
By all accounts Postecoglou gave his
players a rocket at half-time before Pape
Matar Sarr levelled on 61 minutes.
Postecoglou then brought on Son and
Johnson, as well as Yves Bissouma —
returning from the Africa Cup of Nations
with Mali — and the attacking changes

Ange loves plot twist

eventually led to the thrilling climax.
Suddenly Spurs, so injury-hit for the last
few months, have strength in depth up top
with Timo Werner, Richarlison, Dejan
Kulusevski, Son and Johnson competing for
three positions.
Johnson added: “Having such good
quality is what everyone wants.
“There have been times when we’ve had
a really injured squad and have felt the
pressure of it, especially when there are not
many players who can come on.
“So to have everyone back and everyone
firing, it’s a really good place to be in right
now.”
Johnson reckons the fact matches are
regularly reaching the 100-minute mark
this season — especially for Spurs — has
shifted the expectations of substitutes and
how they think they can affect the game,
even if brought on in the last ten minutes.
The £47.5million summer signing from
Nottingham Forest has shown glimpses of
his promise this term with this his third
goal for the club.
Yet the Welshman, 22, added: “I don’t
think anyone has seen the best of me yet.
“I’ve had to adapt and take time and
definitely there have been moments in the
season where I haven’t been at my best.
“I’m just trying to kick on now and keep
working on the training pitch because I
know that’s where I can get better.”
Welbeck admitted the late goal was
“really, really hard to take” and Brighton
missed boss De Zerbi. Assistant Andrea
Maldera was in charge and ended up
losing his voice from shouting by the dug-
out. Wonderkid Evan Ferguson, 19, came on
in the second half but his barren run
extended to a 14th successive game.
Welbeck added: “Evan obviously is a
terrific player. He is a predator in the box
and when the opportunities come to him he
always puts them away. We’re going to rely
on him heavily.”
HOW THEY LINED UP
TOTTENHAM: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie (Hojbjerg
80), Sarr (Davies 80), Bentancur (Son 62), Kulusevski (Bissouma 62),
Maddison, Werner (Johnson 62), Richarlison.
BRIGHTON: Steele, Lamptey (Baleba 90), Van Hecke, Dunk, Estupinan,
Gross, Gilmour (Baker-Boaitey 90), Lallana (Fati 57), Buonanotte (Velt-
man 83), Welbeck (Ferguson 83), Mitoma.

Attendance: Sep 16 DEJAN KULUSEVSKI 99m 53s Feb 1 Kobbie Mainoo 96m 26s
61,445 (Tottenham) v Sheff Utd (Man Utd) v Wolves

Total match LATEST PREM Nov 4 Oliver Norwood 99m 17s Dec 5 Declan Rice 96m 23s

WINNING
time: (Sheff Utd) v Wolves (Arsenal) v Luton
TOTTENHAM ... 2 104m 17s Sep 16 Douglas Luiz 97m 33s Oct 7 Scott McTominay 96m 11s
Sarr 61; Johnson 90
Ball in-play GOALS THIS (Aston Villa) v Crystal Palace (Man Utd) v Brentford

SEASON
Nov 11 Mario Lemina 96m 37s Feb 10 BRENNAN JOHNSON 95m 48s
BRIGHTON......1 time:
57m 34s (Wolves) v Tottenham (Tottenham) v Brighton
Gross 17 (pen)

ROB EDWARDS’ Luton lost a home league
game v Sheffield United for the first time
since Dec 1994 (6-3, second tier). They last
did that in the top flight in Dec 1990 (1-0).
Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 7
PREM POINTS GAINED FROM LOSING POSITIONS in association with
Liverpool............................................................ 19
Manchester City ................................................ 17
TOTTENHAM ........................................................ 16
Brighton............................................................. 13
Aston Villa .......................................................... 12

LUTON ................. 1
Morris 52 (pen)

SHEFF UTD.........3
Archer 30; McAtee 36 (pen);
Souza 72
Thanks, Ma
MUM’S PEP TALK FIRES SOUZA
Attendance: 11,138
Total match time: 104m 29s LEAPS AHEAD . . . Souza
finds the net and it’s three for VINI SOUZA says a pep
Ball in-play time: 52m 9s Blades at Kenilworth Road talk from his MUM By BEN
helped break his duck
for Sheffield United. HUNT
TREBLE & STRIFE The Brazilian midfielder
got off the mark with the
third goal in Blades’ win
Hamer is a big signing, Vini
is a big signing. So they
SATURDAY was the over relegation rivals Luton. need to be the leaders, the
first time Sheffield This result pulled them best players and the consis-
level on 13 points with tent performers and every-
United have scored Burnley — and Souza says body jumps in behind that.
three goals in an he and his team-mates are “We’ve had decent perfor-
away Prem game still optimistic they can beat mances off both, so they
in 31 years — 84 the drop. need to produce those types
matches ago. Souza, who joined Shef- of performances to help us.
The last time, field United for £10million “Vini comes with a big
Dave Bassett was from Belgian side Lommel CV. He had a fantastic sea-
manager in a last summer, explained he son last year and I should
game played at had been getting grief from imagine when he signed, he
his mum for not scoring. didn’t expect to be in the
Southampton’s He said: “At last I have situation that he is.
The Dell ground. my first goal for the club “But Vini has got to take
and that is amazing. part of that responsibility as
OCT 2
FLASHBACK “My mum has been tell- well for the position of the

1993 ing me every day, ‘Come

on Vini, please — you
need to finish better’.
“She has always been
SOUTHAMPTON ........... (1) 3 impressing that on me
Monkou 29, Maddison 53, Kenna 77 because I have never
before managed to score
and finish. So to get the
SHEFF UTD ..................... (0) 3 opportunity and do it
Falconer 72, Flo 80, 90 against Luton was great.
“The week before
(The Dell) Att: 11,619 scored but it was offside
and there was another
SOUTHAMPTON: Flowers, Moore, Monkou, opportunity for me later in
Benali, Adams, Kenna, Reid (Cockerill 76), the match.
Maddison, Allen, Moody, Dowie. Booked: Dowie “This result gives us some
hope and I think there is
SHEFF UTD: Tracey,Tuttle, Beesley, Gage still time to escape.
“These three points
(Whitehouse 71), Barnes, Littlejohn, Rogers,
against Luton are valuable.
Falconer, Hodges (Hartfield 83), Bradshaw, Flo. “We still believe. Seven
Sent off: Tuttle points behind Luton and
safety, that is not impossible.
DOWN BEAT
I’ve seen similar escapes in
my time in Brazil.”
Cameron Archer out-mus-
cled Gabriel Osho to put
SHEFFIELD UNITED United ahead before James
stayed bottom McAtee converted from the
despite their penalty spot following a
win — and with handball by Reece Burke.
Burnley and Carlton Morris pulled a
Luton also goal back for Luton after
floundering, this Souza handled in the box
could be the before the South American
second season in added United’s third.
Blades boss Chris Wilder
Prem history where has challenged Souza to
all three promoted continue his scoring streak
sides have gone
to help pull them to safety.
back down. He said: “He’s a big sign-
ing for us. Your big signings
have got to turn up. Gus
LEAGUE
LUTON POS
17th
18th
19th
20th
AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB
football club.”
The defeat was Luton’s
first in 2024 and ended a
run that has seen them
climb out of the drop zone.
It was the first league fix-
ture where the Hatters had
gone in as favourites — and
midfielder Albert Sambi
Lokonga reckons they did
I not cope with the pressure.
He said: “The next game
we are at home to
Manchester United.
“It will be a big one for
our supporters and it will
be up to us to show a good
result and mentality.
“It was a different situa-
tion with us being favour-
ites. I don’t know if that
meant more pressure but we
didn’t get a result.
“We still have to play
many teams down near the
bottom and we have to
learn from this game, check
our mistakes and not do
them again.
“But of course we are still
confident we can stay up.
Not a lot of people are
believing in us but we must
keep that belief.”
HOW THEY LINED UP
LUTON: Kaminski, Burke (Townsend 68),
Osho, Bell, Ogbene, Lokonga, Barkley,
Doughty (Berry 87), Clark (Chong 53), Morris
(Woodrow 83), Adebayo.
SHEFFIELD UNITED: Foderingham, Bogle,
Holgate, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, Norrington-
Davies (Lowe 5), McAtee (Norwood 81),
Souza, Hamer (Davies 60), Osborn, Archer
(Brewster 81).

LEAGUE
SHEFF UTD POS
17th
18th
19th
20th
MAC WHACK . . . McAtee
AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB slots home Blades’ penalty
8 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
Silva lining
on Bro cost
MARCO SILVA does not give a hoot
about costing Fulham £4million by
keeping his new boy on the bench.
Armando Broja (below) must start 60
per cent of games from this one until
the end of the season to have the loan
fee scrubbed off by parent club
Chelsea in a bizarre deal.
But if the Albanian striker is stuck
in the dugout it means Fulham are
playing well and pushing up the
Premier League — earning around £2m
for every place in a win-win situation.
And Silva says Broja knows the score
and must prove himself in order to
force his way into the starting XI.
The pair held talks on Friday and
the player is in no doubt.
Craven Cottage chief Silva said:
“Armando knows that. I can be honest
— I had a conversation
with him about the situa-
tion. This is the Premier
League. We believe in him.
“He’s a player we looked
at last summer as well.
“He knows when you
are in the Premier League,
there is competition for
places.
“He arrived a day before
the Burnley game. The
striker who played scored
an important goal that
impacted the game.
“Of course we will
decide who should start
the next game — if it’s
Armando, if it’s another
player. He is on our staff. It doesn’t
matter if he is on contract or if he is
on loan, it doesn’t make sense, these
types of things.
“Football players are not stupid. They
can understand decisions.
“One way to deal with the situation
is to work hard and show they are
better than the other players.”
Broja’s strike rival Rodrigo Muniz has
suddenly hit form to keep him out of
the team.
The Brazilian’s double against
Bournemouth takes his tally to three
goals in two games following a goal at
FULHAM ..............3
Decordova-Reid 6; Muniz 36, 52
BOURNEMOUTH..1
Sensesi 50
PREMIER LEAGUE
FIRST UP . . .
Decordova-Reid
gets the opener
By ANDREW
DILLON
Burnley the week before. Chelsea
agreed to the strange contract for Broja
as they want to sell him permanently
this summer — and reckon they will get
a higher price if he has been a regular
starter instead of a bench-warmer.
Silva added: “The striker who starts
and scores two goals is probably not
going to be £4m, he is going to be
£15m or £30m. Football is not so easy.
It is so difficult.
“I don’t go in this direction because
it is not my job to talk about this situ-
ation. I don’t speak about contracts. It
is not the most important thing.
“Sometimes football is
simple. If he deserves to
play, contracts are not for
me to get involved in.”
Bournemouth boss
Andoni Iraola admitted the
Cherries were undone by
failing to get going quickly
enough and were weak in
the box — despite manag-
ing 25 shots.
Fulham went one up in
six minutes after a slip by
Lewis Cook allowed Bobby
Decordova-Reid to fire home.
Muniz’s double followed
with goals in each half — his
second a cracking volley.
Bournemouth defender
Marcos Sensesi grabbed a
consolation goal minutes before the
hosts’ third — but at least the cheesed
off Cherries chief was happy with new
striker Enes Unal’s debut.
He said: “He helped us a lot. We
needed to put a lot of offensive players
on and get some crosses in and get
people inside the box. He was good
playing up front with Dom.”
HOW THEY LINED UP
FULHAM: Leno, Castagne, Diop, Ream, Robinson, Palhinha,
Cairney (Reed 63), Decordova-Reid (Wilson 64), Pereira (Ballo-
Toure 85), Willian (Traore 85), Muniz (Broja 75).
BOURNEMOUTH: Neto, Smith (Faivre 85), Zabarnyi, Senesi,
Kelly (Kerkez 46), Christie, Cook, Tavernier (Ouattara 69), Scott
(Semenyo 63), Sinisterra (Unal 69), Solanke.
Attendance:
Total match time:
Ball in-play time:
5 Kieran: We’ll shake up
FULHAM have won five of
their last seven home
Prem games (D1 L1) —
they boast seven league
victories at Craven Cottage
this season, just one fewer
than the entirety of 2022-23.
V2
KIERAN TRIPPIER has not given
up on Newcastle’s top-four
dream — even if it looks like
mission improbable right now.
For the second week running,
the Magpies were involved in a
thriller — and this time they
dug deep to come out on top at the
City Ground.
Bruno Guimaraes was the hero with a
stunning double as Eddie Howe’s injury-
hit team made it seven points from the
last nine.
While it was far from perfect — the
defensive deficiencies on show in last
weekend’s 4-4 draw at home to Luton
were exposed again by relegation-threat-
ened Forest — there was no shortage of
spirit to add to some clinical finishing.
And, while the gap between Toon and
Tottenham in the fourth Champions
League spot still amounts to 11 points,
Trippier is adamant they will not give up
on an instant return to Europe’s elite
competition without a fight.
The England defender said: “There’s
still a lot of points to play for and we’re
not going to give up on the top four.
“Of course, we know it’s going to be
difficult to close that gap.
“But in football you never know. There’s
going to be a lot of twists and turns from
now to the end of the season.”
West Ham and Tottenham both visit St
James’ Park in the spring while Newcas-
tle are also still to visit Old Trafford.
But they will need to close the gap fur-
ther by the time those fixtures arrive.
That will be easier said than done in
an upcoming run that includes a trip to
play title-chasing Arsenal.
But Trippier said: “We go into every
game with a mentality to win.
“It’s going to be hard to finish in the
top four because of the teams who are up
there. But we’ve still got to play most of
them and you never say never.”
Howe’s decision to play Guimaraes in a
more advanced midfield role paid
dividends after he delivered two moments
of real quality in a game which could
have gone either way.
A clever short-corner routine was
rewarded when he arrived unmarked at
the back post to volley home Trippier’s
pinpoint delivery to put Toon ahead.
Forest quickly responded when Morgan
Gibbs-White played a delightful ball
down the middle and Anthony Elanga
sped through to beat Martin Dubravka.
Fabian Schar capitalised on more poor
set-piece defending to restore Newcastle’s
lead but Callum Hudson-Odoi made it
2-2 in the sixth minute of first-half injury
time with a deflected shot.
Forest fumed after neither referee
Anthony Taylor nor VAR Tony Harring-
ton adjudged Dubravka’s flailing arm,
which sent Taiwo Awoniyi tumbling, as
sufficient to award a penalty.
Even Toon legend Alan Shearer said
on Match of the Day that Forest had
good reason to feel “robbed”.
And at 2-2 — midway through the sec-
ond half — it proved a pivotal moment.
Soon afterwards Guimaraes punished
Elanga’s mis-placed pass with a clinical
curling effort.
Trippier added: “Bruno was playing a
bit higher up as a No 8 and he’s got that
in his locker — that magic. He shone.
“We showed a lot of resilience and a
TRIPP
great attitude in tough moments.
“We’re still disappointed with the way
24,271
104m 11s
55m 11s
FULHAM have earned 22 of their 29 points
at home this season — a ratio of 76 per
cent, which is the most of any Prem side,
ahead of Newcastle’s 69 per cent.
By BRENDAN
McLOUGHLIN
we conceded the two goals but this is
always a tough place to play.”
Like Trippier, who was the subject of
multiple bids from Bayern Munich last
month, Guimaraes was the subject of
January interest.
But Trippier insists they remain nothing
but dedicated to the cause.
He added: “The transfer windows
always bring speculation and it’s a
compliment that other clubs are inter-
ested in our players.
“In every window all sorts get thrown
into the mix, but we’re all together, we’re
all committed and we want to finish as
high as we can this season.”
Premier League survival is the goal for
Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo who called
the decision not to give his side a second-
half spot-kick a “defining moment”.
He said: “I saw it over and over again
— for me it is a clear penalty.”
It was the SIXTH time Forest had been
on the wrong end of a 3-2 scoreline this
season and they are still searching for
their first Prem win of 2024.
Forest are just two points above the
relegation zone and have the threat of a
potential points deduction hanging over
them after being charged with breaking
profitability and sustainability rules.
And Nuno lamented the all-too-
familiar scenario of conceding set-piece
goals and costly individual errors.
He said: “We have to realise it is
costing us. The goals we are conced-
ing are too easy for the other team
to score.
“We have to address it, work very
hard and make the players under-
stand we cannot allow one second
of distraction.”
Nuno put the onus on Forest’s
players to take responsibility for
their mistakes.
He added: “It’s not because
we don’t work. We work
very hard on set-pieces
and all the details.
“It has to come from
you. You have to be
determined to solve the
situation.
“Don’t expect any-
one else to do it
for you. You have
to solve it.”
Forest
still have to
travel to the
quartet of sides
below them in
four of their last
five away trips.
Asked if he is confi-
dent his players will
solve their defensive woes,
Nuno replied: “We must. There is no
other way.”
HOW THEY LINED UP
NOTTINGHAM FOREST: Sels, Williams, Niakhate, Murillo, Tavares,
Yates (Reyna 73), Dominguez (Danilo 78), Elanga, Gibbs-White,
Hudson-Odoi, Awoniyi (Origi 68).
NEWCASTLE: Dubravka, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Longstaff,
Guimaraes, Miley (Livramento 81), Almiron (Barnes), Wilson, Gordon
(Krafth 90).
 V2 Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 9
NEWCASTLE’S Fabian Schar has scored three MOST PREM TACKLES MADE 2023-24 in association with
Joao Palhinha (Fulham, left) ............ 101 (52 won)
goals in his last two Prem away games, as Vinicius Souza (Sheffield United)................90 (53)
many as he scored in his previous 68 away Emerson (West Ham)..................................68 (45)
Joao Gomes (Wolves)................................68 (40)
appearances in the competition combined (3). Pedro Porro (Tottenham)............................67 (46)

IV JUST GOT
ANOTHER . . .
Toney hits third
goal in four

NOTTM FOREST..2
Elanga 26; Hudson-Odoi 45

NEWCASTLE .......3
Guimaraes 10, 66; Schar 43

Attendance:
29,451

Tone deaf
Total match
time:
103m 37s

Ball in-play
time:
59m 45s

to exit fear
ALL THERE IN
BLACK & WHITE
NO player has recorded more
Prem assists this season than
Newcastle defender Kieran
Trippier (10) — level with
Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.
MOST PREM ASSISTS 2023-24 CHRISTIAN NORGAARD reckons
Kieran Trippier
Brentford will bounce back from By GRAHAM
(Newcastle) 10 losing Ivan Toney — just like they
HILL
have when other stars have left.
Ollie Watkins The Dane knows the Bees are a
(Aston Villa) 10 better side with England striker Toney team-mates. He’s a big leader and
on the pitch — thanks to his goals and when you have him on the pitch, the
Pedro Neto chances of winning are bigger.”
(Wolves) 8 ‘no bulls**t mentality’.
But Toney looks certain to leave this The result eased Brentford’s poor run
summer for what boss Thomas Frank of seven defeats in eight Prem games.
Pascal Gross And Norgaard admitted that it might
(Brighton) 8 believes will likely be a club-record fee.
Toney scored a superb second goal take a few more clinical wins like this
after Norgaard’s opener to seal a first to keep them in the top flight.
Mohamed Salah
(Liverpool) 8 away win in almost four months.
But Norgaard insists Brentford will
He added: “It was deserved but it
wasn’t pretty. The whole of the second
rebuild when Toney moves on. half I thought we were too deep and
He said: “He’ll be a massive loss, of gave Wolves too much initiative.
IN A TIGHT CORNER course. But let’s see what happens.
“This club is known for selling players
“We needed this win — it’s been a
tough spell for us. To come here and
ONLY Burnley have let in then replacing them with top quality. get three points against Wolves with
more corner goals this “When Ollie Watkins left the unbelievable run
he was a top striker for us they’ve had was very
season than Forest. important for us.”
and we got Ivan Toney to
replace him. It also showed Wolves
9 Burnley “It’s pretty obvious he that they cannot afford to
8 NOTTINGHAM FOREST, will most likely leave in think about a late charge
for European football yet.
Aston Villa, Sheff Utd the summer, which he also
deserves. They finished the day
7 Everton “But I know this club is with both top goalscorers,
Hwang Hee-chan and
6 Bournemouth, really good in the recruit-
ment department so they Matheus Cunha, out injured.
Crystal Palace, Brighton, will find a replacement And Wolves’ day got
Chelsea who’s just as good.” worse when Craig Dawson
had what looked like an
5 Man Utd, West Ham, Arsenal Toney now has three
equaliser ruled out by VAR.
goals in four games since
4 Luton, Liverpool, Brentford his return from an eight- Midfielder Mario Lemina
said: “We lost against a
3 Tottenham, Newcastle, Wolves month ban for breaking

WIRE!
betting rules.
SPECIAL BRU . . . Toon
hero Guimaraes celebrates 2 Man City, Fulham And Norgaard (right)
added: “When we’re on the pitch,
there’s no bulls**t. There’s something of
an ‘old-school’ mentality about him and
he’s a real joy to play with.
“There’s a reason why he’s vice-
captain as well because he gives so
much to us on and off the pitch.
“He’s the funniest guy — he’s always
joking and loves the banter with every-
one. But don’t get fooled by that.”
Norgaard admitted that Toney had a
quiet game before scoring — the striker
had been ill in the build-up.
He added: “That’s what he’s there for.
But he puts high demands on his
team below us in the table.
We need to understand the
Premier League is really tough.
“But we have to get better every
week to even think about something
else in the future.
“We never feel safe until the end. I’m
really positive about us — I really
believe in what we’re going to do.
“But after we get to 40 points we can
think about something different.”
HOW THEY LINED UP
WOLVES: Sa, Kilman, Dawson, Toti (Fraser 45), Semedo
(Doherty 83), Lemina, J Gomes (Doyle 62), Ait-Nouri,
Sarabia, Cunha (Bellegarde 20), Neto.
BRENTFORD: Flekken, Collins, Pinnock, Mee, Roerslev,
Jensen (Yarmoliuk 69), Norgaard (Ajer 85), Janelt (Baptiste 85),
Reguilon, Toney, Maupay (Lewis-Potter 76).

Attendance: 30,731
Match time: 100m 34s
Ball in-play time: 58m 54s

race for top-four spot 3

IVAN TONEY has now
WOLVES .............. 0 scored
League
three
goals
Premier
against
Wolves, his joint-highest tally
BRENTFORD.......2 against a single opponent in
the competition.
Norgaard 35; Toney 77
10 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024

CHAMPIONSHIP
STOKE have lost each of their last four
league games, conceding two or
more goals in each defeat — they have
shipped a total of 13 at 3.3 per game.

JOHN‘S A BRITT SPECIAL

JOY . . . Broadhead
COMEBACK (right) makes it 1-1
KINGS
MOST LEAGUE POINTS
GAINED FROM LOSING and we’ve got really good players.”
POSITIONS
By DANE MASSEY
Blackburn........................3 Daniel Johnson had a penalty saved
CALLUM BRITTAIN sees John
Eustace’s appointment as a Stoke..................................1
Top 4 tiers this season by Aynsley Pears at 3-1 down and
Ipswich (Ch) 22 Stoke have won just two of their
“fresh start” for both him and last 17 in the league.
Crewe (L2) 20 streak in the league, losing six. Potters boss Steven Schu-
Blackburn as a team. Defender Brittain, 25, said: “The macher said: “We need to show
Liverpool (PL) 19 Eustace replaced Jon Dahl
run we’ve been on is loads to do a bit more character, show a bit
Tomasson as head coach on Friday more belief and a bit more TY-HIGH . . .
Portsmouth (L1) 18 and it was a dream start thanks to with confidence, a young group,
two-goal hero
a double from Tyrhys Dolan and loads going on at the club and cer- bravery — but more importantly
Man City (PL) 17 one from Sammie Szmodics before tain things going against us. we’ve got to show a bit more fight. Dolan goes
Leeds (Ch) 17 Niall Ennis scored for Stoke. “But it’s behind us and we’ve got “We’re in a relegation battle, so head over heels
Prior to this game, Blackburn had a new fresh start with the new boss. we need people to be ready to

Pat does a
been on an eight-match winless He’s come in, been really positive stand up and be counted.”

Town hoping
it’s deja Blue
By MEL HENDERSON
Ipswich................2
IPSWICH hope history West Brom.........2
repeats itself in their
quest for back-to-back
their second-half display
promotions. probably deserved.
The Tractor Boys are He made several key
still handily placed in

BAMFORD HIT BY MARADONA JIBE A

saves, by far the pick of
fourth despite just one the bunch deep into
win in their last nine stoppage-time to deny Ali
Championship games. Al-Hamadi.
And they remain firmly Modest Palmer, 27, said:
in the hunt for the sec- “I don’t want to play it
ond automatic promotion down too much but it’s
place behind runaway what I’m there for.
leaders Leicester. “We defended for a lot committed to the decision so
It is a similar tale to 12
months ago when they
of the game — more than
By ALAM KHAN
Leeds..............................3 didn’t want to guess. He said
we wanted to — and the PATRICK BAMFORD was Rotherham....................0 spoke to Patrick, who said ye
suffered a near-identical lads all put their bodies
lapse in League One. branded a ‘cheat’ who ‘got did hit my arm and it’s gone
on the line.” “But I did not really apprec
Then they recovered in Tom Fellows made it away with it like Maradona’ the linesman laughing and jo
explain it. He had no intention of
style to finish with an three goals from five for his goal in Leeds’ win. telling the referee what he had with Patrick after the game.
almost flawless flourish, games to fire Albion into Whites striker Bamford shame- done either.” “It was unprofessional to
winning 14 times in an a first-half lead. lessly flicked the ball into the net Richardson revealed afterwards laughing and joking with a pl
unbeaten 16-game run. Ipswich levelled within with his elbow — and even Bamford had told the referee the who has cheated not only t
With 15 fixtures left — 44 seconds of the restart celebrated with the same arm goal went in off his arm. out of a decision but potential
and their next nine through Nathan Broad- movement he used to score. And he also criticised assistant result as well.
against sides in the bot- head but the visitors took With no VAR in the Champion- referee Nick Hopton’s “unprofes- “That’s not a complaint bu
tom half — the time is charge again through sub ship, referee Andrew Madley sional” conduct over the incident. takeaway for the officials to
right for them to again John Swift’s 25-yarder. allowed the tenth-minute opener Richardson, whose Millers are better themselves going forw
get their act together. Omari Hutchinson to stand and later apologised to bottom and 12 points off safety, It’s unprofessional, there’s a lo
They did everything but whipped in a 93rd min- furious Rotherham boss Leam said: “Andy apologised at half- stake and they need to know t
win this one with only ute equaliser but Palmer’s Richardson for the error. time because he wasn’t fully After Bamford’s opener f
West Brom keeper Alex save from Al-Hamadi Richardson was not the only one
Palmer standing between ensured the Baggies held left raging — with fans comparing
them and the victory on to a point. his act to Diego Maradona’s Hand
of God goal that helped Argentina
knock England out of the 1986
Cardiff...................0 Preston...................2 World Cup quarter-final.
Former Aston Villa and Chelsea
striker Tony Cascarino piled into
PRESTON hero Emil Riis admits he dreamed of scoring Bamford on talkSPORT yesterday.
during his year on the sidelines with a knee injury. He blasted: “Of course it’s a
The Danish striker netted his first goal in 469 days handball. Like Maradona, he got
to lift North End to within two points of the top six. away with it.
Ben Whiteman added another before the break. “He cheated, he knew. He even
Riis said: “To finally get my first goal is a great pointed to his elbow during his
feeling, something I’ve been dreaming of for a while. celebration. The audacity shown
after knowing he got away with it HANDS UP . . . Millers
“It was a long year. Seeing the lads play and train appeal after controversial
and to not be a part of it, it’s been very tough. But it’s ONE ARM BANDIT — it was so clear.
. . . Bamford scores “He handballed it, owned it, Bamford opener for Leeds
all worth it when you come back and get a goal.” and then got congratulated for the
Cardiff chief Erol Bulut tipped Manchester City with his elbow goal, there is no other way to
loanee Josh Wilson-Esbrand for success, saying: “He’s

Justin
a good crosser, he’s quick and he can dribble.”

KIAN BAN AT
KIAN HARRATT’S four-month
suspension for breaking FA
betting rules 484 times is an
absolute joke.
The Huddersfield striker
(right) has got off lightly
and for me his

ODDS WITH
punishment sends out

IN A LEAGUE
the wrong message.
In comparison,
Brentford’s Ivan
Toney served an
eight-month ban for of being caught out. Harratt while c
232 breaches of FA will feel some shame that he Hudders
regulations. bet on his own team to LOSE club ab
But what is signifi- nine times. the fac
cant about Harratt’s suspension The striker is 21 and has prohibit

THE ‘CRIME’
is that he is currently been betting on games since he It cou
recovering from surgery to a was 18 — and young people to him
hamstring injury, so would make mistakes. ignored
have been sidelined anyway. He was quick to hold his hands account
Surely, the punishment up and say it was a fair cop but he fanc
should come into force that doesn’t excuse what he did. own tea
when he has been certified I get fed up with people who Surely
by an independent medical refer to players in their early 20s among
expert as fully fit to play. as kids. nent to
As things stand his He is not a kid, he is an adult and If I w
punishment is restricted should know right from wrong. I’d sack
to the embarrassment Harratt acknowledged himself that How

STAT
ATTACK
BEALE BOYS’ NET GAIN
By COLIN YOUNG
THE red and white carpet will be
rolled out for the premiere of
Sunderland ’Til I Die 3 tonight.
And no wonder the Netflix pro-
ducers are keeping an open mind
on series four as the club’s young
stars keep Premier passions alive.
The latest fly-on-the-wall docu-
mentary features the Black Cats’
return to the Championship and
their agonising play-off exit.
Diego
Michael Beale’s young guns got
AFTER CHEAT STORM
o he Junior Firpo’s cross, Leeds sealed
d he their sixth straight league win
es it with a second-half double from
e in. Crysencio Summerville.
ciate The second came from the
oking penalty stop after he was
fouled by Peter Kioso.
o be And the win kept Leeds
layer a point off second-placed
them Southampton.
lly a Whites boss Daniel
Farke said: “You have to
ut a say if it was a handball
o get then probably it should
ward. not have been allowed.”
ot at Striker Bamford was
that.” also accused of diving
from when Leeds edged past
QPR 1-0 at Elland Road
on October 4.
Hoops goalkeeper Asmir
Begovic was sent off as the
hitman went to ground when
they both challenged for a
ball on the edge of the box.
Begovic had his red card
overturned on appeal.
Bamford was handed a two-
game ban by the FA in May 2019
after being found guilty of
“successful deception of a match
official” in Leeds’ 1-1 Champion-
ship draw with Aston Villa.
He went down as though hit in
the face by Anwar El Ghazi, but
replays showed there was no
contact and the Villa winger also
had his red card rescinded.
in Allen
E OF HIS OWN
coming through the ranks at
sfield he was educated by the
bout the perils of betting and
ct professional footballers are
ted from gambling on football.
uld not have been made clearer
that it is not allowed –— yet he
that and opened up a betting
t and had wagers on anything
cied . . . including betting on his
am to lose, which is shocking.
y no club wants a player
their ranks willing the oppo-
win.
was the Huddersfield chairman,
k him.
can he walk into that dressing
LEADING GOALSCORERS
Sammie Szmodics (Blackburn)...............17
Morgan Whittaker (Plymouth)..............16
Adam Armstrong (Southampton)........15
Summerville (Leeds), Clarke (S’land)...14
Sunderland.....................3
Plymouth..........................1
promotion hopes back on course as
they blew Plymouth away thanks to
goals from Pierre Ekwah, Jack
Clarke and Jobe Bellingham.
Ryan Hardie’s cool chip had
given Plymouth a half-time lead.
Midfielder Ekwah, 22, said: “It’s a
pleasure playing for this club. It’s
crazy — 40,000 minimum every
PAT’S GOT TO HURT . . .
Bamford cheekily hails
scoring with his elbow and
(inset) Diego Maradona’s
famous cheat goal in 1986
@justinallen1976
room now and be seen as a loyal
member of the team when everyone
knows he wagered on them to lose?
It’s important he is properly
sanctioned to deter others.
So to simply be made to sit out a
short period of time that he was most
probably going to be out injured for
anyway is ridiculous.
What sort of message does it send
out to aspiring kids who want to be
footballers that you can one day bet
on your own team to lose and simply
get a rap across the knuckles?
But for me there is a wider point
about gambling and the football
industry. Players are brought up
41 3.42 44 0 AVE PER GAME
GOALS SCORED
week. It feels emotional all the
time to hear the excitement of
it. I can call it home now and I
just think it’s beautiful.
“It’s the perfect place and I am
really enjoying myself.”
Argyle’s hopes ended just before
half-time when captain Morgan
Whittaker’s audacious long-range
chip missed the target.
Boss Ian Foster said: “These young
players need a platform to perform,
the trust of the manager and time
because they’ll make mistakes.”
surrounded by a betting culture
as bookmakers pour millions of
pounds each year into the sport
commercially.
Whether that be by sponsoring
a kit, buying up the advertising
hoardings around a stadium or
even having grounds named after a
betting firm.
Simply everywhere you look in
football there is reference to a
betting company.
Even the EFL itself is sponsored
by Sky Bet.
So it goes without saying that foot-
ballers are exposed to gambling.
It seems a bit hypocritical to stop
players from gambling yet expect
them to promote betting companies.
It is understandable that players like
Toney and Harratt got tempted to bet
themselves.
But the laws are very clear and
so much work is done to educate
footballers.
So there are no excuses.
Harratt knew he was breaking the
rules yet carried on regardless.
The punishment should have fitted
the crime.
Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 11
in association with
Hero Dennis’
sub sob story
By GARETH DAVIES
Watford................1
LOAN star Emmanuel Leicester.............2
GOOD JOBE . . . Dennis scared the wits
Bellingham makes out of the leaders —
but he cannot start a goal will give him and us
it three for Cats a lot of confidence.”
match for Watford. Dennis said: “I’ve been
With Leicester looking training so hard. I didn’t
comfortable at 2-0 up, go to the FA Cup game
Dennis scored on 63 at Southampton to have a
minutes, just after com- full week of training. I’m
ing off the bench. getting better and I will
That set up a finale keep working hard.”
that threatened to wreck Leicester sweated it out
Foxes boss Enzo Mare- to stay 11 points clear.
sca’s 44th birthday. Patson Daka, with a
Dennis, who left Vicar- penalty following a foul
age Road in August 2022, on Dennis Praet, and
arrived back on loan a well-worked Ricardo
from Nottingham Forest Pereira strike set them
last month to add some on the way to their 12th
badly-needed firepower. away win.
And he duly obliged Pereira admitted Den-
by pouncing on Harry nis’ goal had the Foxes
Winks’ wayward pass to running scared.
fire home. The Portuguese right-
But Watford boss Vale- back said: “It was diffi-
rien Ismael insists Dennis cult. Watford tried to
is not fit enough to be push with the long ball
in the starting line-up at and second balls.
Norwich tomorrow. “But we managed to
He said: “We don’t have win and that is the most
him at 100 per cent. We important thing. There
have to manage him. Now are times where you need
we see him heading in to dig deep and stay
the right direction. The together — we did that.”
TRICKY RIC . . . Ricardo Pereira (centre) after his goal
Hull....................0 Swansea....................1
ALFIE JONES is convinced Hull will earn a shot at Prem
football — if they can become more streetwise.
Describing the shock defeat to Swansea as a “reality
check”, the Tigers defender insisted Liam Rosenior’s
side possess the ability to reach the play-offs.
But after Liam Cullen’s early goal saw Hull drop out
of the top six, Jones said: “We can be a bit naive at
times and this was a massive opportunity missed. But
there’s loads of belief that we can get top six.”
Swans chief Luke Williams refused to get carried
away with three points on the road. He said: “I haven’t
silenced the critics yet. And nor should I because
respect has to be earned.”
PREM? NO KENN DO
IPSWICH surely will not win an average of two points a
automatic promotion from game is usually enough to
the Championship. win the title, let alone
It will be a fairytale if promotion.
boss Kieran McKenna (left),
takes the Tractor Boys up
to the Premier League.
But they are competing
against three huge clubs
that have just come down
But the form of South- from the Premier League
ampton and Leeds has been with all the resources of the
just ridiculous. parachute payments.
Despite having a It really isn’t right that
ten-point lead in three clubs every season
second over have such a financial advan-
their rivals at tage over the rest.
one stage, Ips- This season could be the
wich are now four first time in the history of
behind the Saints the Premier League that all
and three back three relegated teams
from Leeds. bounced straight back.
Yet Town have a And if that happens it can
staggering 60 points only be a bad thing for the
from 30 matches and EFL’s sporting integrity.
12 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024

CHAMPIONSHIP
ONLY one of Coventry’s last 23 home
league matches with Millwall has
ended in a draw (W14 L8) — a
goalless encounter in October 1988.

Rob, paper JAMES WALKS IT IN

By IAN MURTAGH
MATTY JAMES had Bristol City walking
the walk as they notched up their first
Middlesbrough....................1
Bristol City.............................2

scissors...
league win of the year.
James, whose 17th-minute goal came
just moments after Jason Knight had
fired the Robins ahead, revealed victory
was inspired by a game of walking foot-
ball in training 24 hours earlier.
The midfielder, 32, said: “We’ve had
such a busy schedule that in Friday’s train-
ing we played a game of walking football.
“Everyone tried to do those fast walks
you see in the Olympics, so when I scored
extra time in the FA Cup three days ear-
lier, tired in the second half but held on
despite Sam Silvera’s late consolation.
Boro have not won a league game at
home since December 23 but Michael
Carrick is still eyeing the play-offs.
The Riverside boss said: “There’s no
way we’re giving up on that.
“We all know results have to improve
but I’m still seeing something good in

BUT MARK’S NOT PLAYING

it was the perfect time to re-enact it.” the games we play. Now we need to take
STEP ON . . . joy for James City, who took Nottingham Forest to the next step and turn that into wins.”

By GRAHAM HILL
MARK ROBINS joked that he Millwall...............................1
wanted to ‘kill’ two of his
players after an on-field game
of rock, paper, scissors to lads, sort it out among yourselves,
I’m not going to get involved in
decide who took a penalty. every bit of micro-management.
Coventry were a goal down to
Millwall when they were awarded
a spot-kick on 67 minutes.
With regular taker Matty Godden
on the bench, it was a choice
between Haji Wright and Callum
O’Hare — and the duo played their
little game to settle it.
In the end, Wright stepped up to
coolly slot home after being fouled
by Japhet Tanganga.
That took Wright into double
figures for the season — and he
grabbed the winner three minutes
later as the Sky Blues moved back
into the top six.
Boss Robins was less than
pleased with the way the taker
was chosen. He said: “Rock, paper,
scissors? I’m going to kill them.
I’ll be talking to them about it.
“It’s about who’s confident about
taking the penalty. Haji was a
regular penalty taker when he
played in Turkey. He’s really
decent — but it’s who fancies it.
“So when you get involved like
that, it puts doubt in somebody’s
head. The good thing is they both
wanted it. But it needs to be a lit-
tle bit more scientific than that.
“They are brilliant
Coventry...........................2
But I still want to kill them!”
Millwall have not won in five
games now but took the lead
through home-grown teenager
Romain Esse after 12 minutes.
He was making only his second
start of the season after 27
substitute appearances.
And he scored for the first time
since the opening day of the
season when he collected a Zian
Flemming ball and fired home
with a deflection off Luis Binks.
But Coventry have only lost once
at home in 22 games and Wright
completed their second-half come-
back with a 70th-minute strike.
The Lions had enough chances
early on to have sealed the points
long before, which left boss Joe
Edwards frustrated.
He said: “We constantly have lots
of games where there was a lot to
be pleased with.
“But we got the goal our start
deserved, then had an opportunity
to get the second which would
have relieved the stress on our
defence.
“The problem for us is that it’s a
recurring theme, we haven’t won
since New Year’s Day.”

MATCH
STATS
COVENTRY V MILLWALL8
15 SHOTS
SHOTS ON TARGET 4
5
62% POSSES SION 38%
571 PASSES 338
COMPLETED PASSES 239
470 HERO HAJI . . . Wright
27 TOUCHES IN OPPOSITION BOX 21 celebrates his winner
CORNERS 3
8
9 FOULS CONCEDED 14 and (inset) the bizarre
0/0 YELLOW/RED 1/0 game with O’Hare
 Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 13
QPR have won just two of their last 19 SEKOU MARA has netted five goals in in association with
league games against Norwich (D7 his last seven games for Southampton
L10), with both of those victories at — he had scored only three in his
Loftus Road, in 2016 and 2018. previous 45 matches for the club.

HOME AND A FREY

Roth
Southampton.....5
Huddersfield.......3
By IAN McCULLOUGH
QPR.........................................2
MUCH-TRAVELLED striker Michael Frey
wants to stick around in London. Norwich..................................2 By GRAHAM NICKLESS

Frey, who signed from Royal Antwerp
for £1.25million last month, rescued a
point for struggling Rangers with a
77th-minute effort.
That was after Kenny McLean and Josh
Sargent had put the visitors in front
following Jack Colback’s first-half strike.
England is the sixth different country
the powerful 29-year-old Swiss has
and
JOE ROTHWELL believes
the best places to live in the world so Southampton’s thrilling
I’m happy to be here.
“I have to say my wife does a great
comeback victory could
job helping us move about, I can focus prove pivotal in their
on the football and she does the rest. I promotion push.
hope I can stay a bit longer.” Saints came back from
Norwich were caught napping by Paul 2-0 down to extend their
Smyth’s quick throw in the build-up to unbeaten run to 25 games.
Rothwell was only just

played in, having also spent time in
Germany, Turkey, France and Belgium.
He already feels settled in the capital
IMPACT . . . QPR ace Frey and said: “I love London, this is one of
ready
Frey’s leveller and striker Ashley Barnes on as a first-half sub when
moaned: “If we want to challenge for Sorba Thomas gave Hud-
the play-offs, these are games we have dersfield a deserved lead.
to see off. That was schoolboy stuff.” Thomas then set up
David Kasumu for his first
goal for the Terriers.
But two delicious Roth-
well strikes brought Saints
level soon after the restart.
A dipping volley
was followed 95
seconds later with
his second after
being set up by

JOE LEADING
fellow Bourne-
mouth loanee
David Brooks.
Alex Matos

GLORY PUSH
restored the visi-
tors’ lead but Tom
Lees’ own goal was
followed by late
goals from Sekou
Mara and Sam-
uel Edozie.
Rothwell said:
“We have been
saying through-
out this run
there hasn’t been
too much adver-
sity in terms of
games we have
gone in behind.
“It shows the
character in the
group — we had to
show character to
come back.
“If by the end of
the season we go up by
three points, this is a
game we will say was
massive for us.
FIVE STAR . . . “We just weren’t our-
Samuel Edozie selves in the first half.
caps Saints’ “We were a yard short
of everyone and weren’t
scoring and running for each other.
(above) Joe “Credit to Huddersfield
Rothwell after because they made it really
getting his first difficult and deserved their
lead at half-time.
“We made a few adjust-
ments to get closer to
people and move for each
other and in the second
half we were miles better.
“Getting any win in this
league is massive and to
go 25 games unbeaten is
ridiculous really.”
The Terriers played their
part in this goal-fest as
their pressing game and
gritty tackles “spooked” the
Saints — according to
home gaffer Russell Martin.
Of his first Huddersfield
goal, Kasumu said: “It’s
been coming but I had to
keep composed to put it in
the back of the net.
“We really tried to bring
the game to them and
there was a lot of space
behind for us to flourish.
“But they have got a lot
of quality going forward
and any lack of concentra-
tion and you get punished.”

SOUTH COAST THRILLER

HOW SATURDAY’S GAME PLAYED OUT

36 0-1 Sorba Thomas 65 2-3 Alex Matos

45 0-2 David Kasumu 80 3-3 Tom Lees (own goal)

49 1-2 Joe Rothwell 84 4-3 Sekou Mara

50 2-2 Joe Rothwell 91 5-3 Samuel Edozie

14 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
Bird not in flap
over Rams’ bid
MIDFIELDER Max Bird
remains confident Derby
can secure automatic
promotion despite failing
to beat lowly Shrewsbury.
Bird fired Rams ahead
from a well-worked corner
routine in his first home
game since agreeing a
move to Bristol City
in the summer.
But Aaron Pierre’s
87th-minute leveller
prevented the Rams
from moving three
points clear of third-
placed Bolton — who
have two games in hand.
Bird (inset) said: “We
don’t want the play-offs, we
OJO’S SO CROS
LAST-GASP hero Funso
Ojo dedicated his point- Port Vale.............2
saving penalty to Stevenage..........2
sacked Port Vale boss
Andy Crosby. one’s for you’. I’m still
Terence Vancooten’s
early own goal put Vale
ahead but he made
amends to make it 2-1 to
Boro after Jamie Reid’s
equaliser at Vale Park.
But Ojo stepped up in
the EIGHTH minute of
added time following Dan
Butler’s handball.
Crosby was axed last
Monday and Ojo said:
“It’s been a tough week. I
was very close with the
staff. I had a few tan-
trums in training.
“I spoke to the gaffer
afterwards and said, ‘This
Delighted Jack
deflects glory
JACK AITCHISON did not
care if his goal took two
deflections — Exeter’s win
was all that mattered.
The Scot scored the
Grecians’ second as
former Wigan gaffer Gary
Caldwell enjoyed his return
to the DW Stadium.
Mo Eisa had put
Exeter ahead — Wigan suffered a
also via a deflection
— on his full debut.
Charlie Kelman
replied for Wigan but
they were leapfrogged by
in-form Exeter, who made
it four victories in five.
Aitchison (inset) said:
“There were two deflec-
HOUSE PARTY
BEN HOUSE bounced Lincoln.................2
back after a five-month
lay-off to help Lincoln Fleetwood...........1
claim only a second win
in 12 games. tions when Lasse Sorenson
The 24-year-old striker,
who underwent major
hip surgery, revealed: “At
the start when I found
out how severe it was, I
thought I was not going
to be back this season.
“I had a lot of dead
cartilage and bones that
were rubbing on each
other, and I had to have
two operations.”
House’s header early in
the second half cancelled
out Promise Omochere’s
scruffy 34th-minute goal.
And he joined the celebra-
Derby....................1
Shrewsbury........1
want the top two because
we know we can do it.
“It was a disappointing
result but we’ve got
another game Tuesday
at Exeter. We’re still
in a good position.”
Shrews dropped
to 19th place.
Boss Paul Hurst
said: “Some things
haven’t gone for us but
other clubs will have looked
at our result and expected
Derby to win.”
sad that he’s gone but
you have to move on.”
And on holding his
nerve to score, he added:
“I didn’t know we were
that close to the end.
That might have helped.”
Boro boss Steve Evans,
not for the first time, was
angry with the refereeing.
He said: “Yet again,
we’re talking about offi-
cials. People say, ‘It’s
Evans again’ but I don’t
care. They’re appalling
week after week for us.
“They don’t want us in
that top group, they don’t.”
Wigan...................1
Exeter...................2
tions. I am just happy to
get the three points.
“We’ve been due to get
a win against Wigan, so
I’m happy we got it.”
second loss in three
despite QPR loanee
Kelman netting on
his home bow.
Kelman said: “Coming
back from a two-goal defi-
cit is always a challenge.
“There was a lack of
intensity in the first half.”
sealed Lincoln’s win with a
quickfire second.
House added: “It was a
nice feeling scoring but I
just care about winning.”
Cod Army gaffer Char-
lie Adam spent the coach
trip home scrutinising
video coverage of a melee
which saw skipper Bosun
Lawal shown two yellow
cards.
Adam said: “Bosun was
in there but did nothing
wrong. If we feel we
have got the right to
appeal, we will do that.”
LEAGUE ONE
By VIC HOLLY
PADDY LANE revealed a Portsmouth.................1
half-time talking-to gave
Portsmouth the kick up the dressing room at half-time.
backside to get the points. There
Pompey boss John Mousinho
was not happy with a below-
par first-half performance and
the players themselves were
also quick to lambast their
standards.
But Lane scored a crucial
winner just after the hour to
earn a fourth win in five.
Portsmouth are now six points
clear at the summit as they con-
demned basement-boys Carlisle
to a sixth straight defeat.
The striker admitted: “The
first 25 minutes we were
sloppy. We knew that.
“We came out all guns
blazing. The gaffer got into us
Slow
and we had a go at ourselves.
“It was quite heated in the
lane
TO
fast
Lane
BOSS REVS UP
PADDY AND CO
Carlisle.........................0
were some harsh
words.
“We just know the standards
that we set ourselves day in
day out and we just weren’t
meeting them.
“We were very honest with
each other in the dressing
room.
“I’m not going to repeat what
was said because that needs to
stay in the dressing room.
“But when you look at the
second half, the right things
were said.
“It’s been like that all season,
we’re very honest. I’ve been
open with the fact that the
group are close. We all get on
like a house on fire.
“We can do that and go on
By ROSIE O’LEARY
SAM VOKES insisted ‘the goal
is mine’ after Wycombe sent
Peterborough packing.
The Welshman claimed the
credit for the Chairboys’ fourth
should be his — and not an own
goal by Nicholas Bilokapic.
Sub Vokes, 34, was sent on
just before a corner and got his
head on it at the back post.
The Posh keeper was last to
touch it but Vokes (left) said:
“One hundred per cent it’s my
goal — I don’t know why there’s
any debate! The corner got given
CARLISLE have lost each of their last six
league matches, their longest run since
September to December 2003, when
they were beaten 12 times in a row.
the pitch and produce like we
did in the second half.”
Lane’s goal on the break was
side march
Championship,
towards
Carlisle
sliding towards the trap door
the
are
his tenth for the season and he back to League Two.
is desperate to keep hitting the They have won just one of
high notes to fire Pompey to their last 16 games and
promotion. worryingly picked up just FIVE
He added: “It’s mad really. I POINTS in that sorry spell.
never really pictured that at Boss Paul Simpson said: “We
the start of the season.
“I want to keep it going for
need to get into winning games
of football.
as long as I can.
“I don’t set targets. But the
“No one wants to be in this
situation. We have to change it.
more goals I score the more We maybe need a bit of luck
games we win and the closer along the way.
we get to promotion. That’s it “We’ve got to be braver.
really. We’ve got to stick with it and
“There are 14 games to go stay in there.
and we all know what it “We’ve got two games this
will mean to everyone. week which we have an
“I don’t check the opportunity to get points
scores but I heard from.
from some of the “That’s all we can
other boys. We just think about. We’ve
have to focus on got to dust ourselves
ourselves.” down and be ready
While Mousinho’s to go.”
CLIMBING HIGH
. . . Lane jumps for
joy after scoring the
winner for Pompey
Vokes Nic’s goal
Wycombe....................5 saw the Chairboys 3-0 up
inside an hour.
Peterborough............2 David Ajiboye and Ricky-Jade
Jones struck for Posh in the
space of three minutes midway
and our goalkeeper coach rushed through the second half.
it through so I said ‘Get me on’. But Bilokapic mistakes led to
“Garath McCleary over-hit his the fourth claimed by Vokes
corner but I managed to find it before David Wheeler rubbed
at the back stick — so of course salt into Peterborough wounds.
it’s my goal, I’ll take it all day! Posh boss Darren Ferguson
“We played some exciting refused to hang 21-year-old
football and looked dangerous Bilokapic out to dry.
on the attack — five goals to He said: “There’s something
show for it is great.” about young goalkeepers the
Archie Collins’ own goal, Jack fans don’t like but I have to
Grimmer and Kieran Sadlier stick by him.”

STAT
ATTACK
ALL ROVER
. . . Evans got
a consolation
Gas Luke
like easy
pickings
Bristol Rovers....1
Burton..................2
LUKE THOMAS admits the
Gas are now a soft touch.
The Bristol Rovers
winger hit out after his
fading play-off dreams all
but vanished.
Thomas, 24, said: “It’s
fairly obvious but we con-
cede goals way too easily.
“The gaffer asked us
when was the last time we
came from a goal behind
to win and I don’t think
we have this season.
“I can’t put my finger
on why but we find it too
difficult to recover.”
Matt Taylor’s men lost
their way against lowly
Burton — who opened the
scoring just before the
break through Ciaran Gilli-
gan’s first senior goal.
Mark Helm doubled the
lead on 57 minutes before
Antony Evans gave Rovers
false hope on the hour.
Albion academy lad
Gilligan, 22, was on
a high as the Brew-
ers eased away from
the relegation zone.
He said: “It’s such
a great feeling and
getting the win means it’s
a perfect day for me.”
Blackpool............1
Oxford..................1
OXFORD hotshot Mark
Harris fears he could lose
his place — even though
he cannot stop scoring.
The Welsh wizard has
seven goals in nine games
after a 21st-minute leveller
earned a valuable point.
But promising frontman
Will Goodwin made his U’s
debut from the bench
after joining last month.
And Harris said: “I’m
enjoying playing up front
and I want to stay there.
“But we’ve brought in
Will and you can see he’s
a good player. Obviously
he’s going to be playing
and if that means I have
to go wide, hopefully, I’ll
give him some service.”
Matthew Pennington hit
the 18th-minute opener
for Blackpool who sit six
points off the play-offs.
34
BLACKPOOL have
more home points in
League One than any
other side this season,
winning ten and
drawing four of
their 17 matches
for a tally of
34.
Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 15
LEADING GOALSCORERS
33 2.8 48 3
AVE PER GAME in association with
Devante Cole (Barnsley) ............. 17
Jamie Reid (Stevenage) ..............17
Alfie May (Charlton) .................... 16
Rhodes (B’pool), Bishop (Pompey)..15 GOALS SCORED
OFF DAY . . .
Thomason looks
shocked as he is
shown red card
PHILLIPS . . . late goals
RED MIST
MOST LEAGUE RED
CARDS THIS SEASON
Phillips
Fleetwood (Lge One)
Forest Green (Lge Two)
8
7
6
is crowd
pleaser
Salford (Lge Two)
5
Wrexham (Lge Two)
5
BOLTON (Lge One)
5
Cheltenham (Lge One)
Colchester (Lge Two)
5 Barnsley..............2
Oxford (Lge One)
5
Leyton Orient.....1
5
Lincoln (Lge One)
5
Wimbledon (Lge Two) ADAM PHILLIPS lapped
5
Tranmere (Lge Two) up the love from the
5 Barnsley fans after his
Liverpool (PL) last-gasp heroics.
Phillips’ late goals saw
CARLOS UP FOR SCRAP
the Tykes go from 1-0
behind in the 88th minute
to snatching victory.
Ruel Sotiriou had given
the O’s an early lead but
Phillips levelled on 88
minutes before the hosts
the ball past keeper Joel Coleman to fol-
By RED WILLIAMS
Northampton...........................1 low up Marc Leonard’s 20-yard free-kick,
had Luca Connell sent off
for a second yellow.
CARLOS MENDES GOMES vowed to Bolton.........................................1 which battered the woodwork. The Liverpool academy
fight to help never-say-die Bolton win Dion Charles went close for Bolton as
Ian Evatt’s in-form side rallied. graduate then bagged the
the League One title. winner six minutes into
Sub Gomes hit his first EFL goal for the post to level in front of almost 1,400 After Thomason’s dismissal, Coleman
bouncing Bolton fans after Cobblers sub dived to palm away Will Hondermarck’s stoppage time.
ten-man Wanderers to secure a late draw Phillips, 26, admitted:
at battling Northampton. Ben Fox failed to clear a corner. fierce shot to keep Wanderers alive.
The crucial point leaves the Trotters And that was after Trotters midfielder Substitute keeper Louie Moulden, “There aren’t many better
third, seven points behind leaders Ports- George Thomason was sent off on 28 making his Northampton debut for Lee feelings than scoring a
mouth but with three games in hand. minutes for poleaxing Aaron McGowan. Burge at half-time, tipped over Eoin Toal’s late winner — especially
Forward Gomes, 25, said: “We’ve got Gomes added: “I was on the edge of 30-yarder as Bolton turned the screw. in front of a crowd who
the best squad in the league. the box. As soon as I saw the ball com- Gomes, also thrown on at the restart, are going crazy.
“There’s a lot more to come from me ing my way, I tried to get to it and guide popped up to swoop on 74 minutes to “We kept going until
and I’ll be fighting and giving it every- it in. silence a packed-out Sixfields. the end and we got our
thing to help us win the league. “It was so nice to do it in front of our Town scorer Bowie, 21, said: “It is reward.”
supporters. They are unbelievable. disappointing in a way but it’s still a
“We showed a lot of character and qual- Leyton Orient keeper
ity to dominate the second half against “The goal gives me confidence. It’s good point.
Sol Brynn made NINE
Northampton, who really came at us. always tough to play with a man down.” “They’re a top team with top players
“Hopefully I can kick on now as well Kieron Bowie stunned the visitors as and are expected to win promotion. saves for the visitors.
and score more goals.” he fired Cobblers in front after just 107 “As for my goal, I just smashed it and It was their first loss in
nine games and boss
AZEEZY
Gomes produced a rocket header in off seconds. The Fulham loan star slammed it went through about four bodies!”
Richie Wellens said: “I
think as a team we need
to be braver but credit to
Sol for keeping us in it.”
Cambridge.......0
Cheltenham.......1
MATTY TAYLOR is all
smiles since teaming up
for the third time in his
career with Darrell Clarke.
DOES IT
Taylor won back-to-back
promotions at Bristol
Rovers when Clarke was
boss and also played
under him at Port Vale.
The striker got the
Robins’ 65th-minute
winner to make it
two in two since join-
ing from Forest
Green this month.
Taylor, 33, said:
“I love playing
for the gaffer.
“I’ve just got a
smile on my face
Femi joy but Jones unfazed
from the first day I
walked in. I feel valued.”
It was United’s first loss
in five and midfielder Jack
Lankester said: “We had
RETURN . . . new Addicks chief Jones plenty of chances — on
another day two or three
have to be philosophical about it. You can’t
By ROBERT DUNFORD
Reading.........................................2 be ranting and raving constantly because probably go in and we win.”
NATHAN JONES thinks it is too early Charlton........................................0 that doesn’t help. We will get better.”
5
to say he can repeat his Luton While Charlton hover around the drop
zone, Reading look to be heading to safety.
success at Charlton. In a reminder of their off-field woes,
The new Addicks boss returned to the will want a repeat of Jones’ two Kenilworth
Road spells, which saw League Two promo- home fans protested against owner Dai
dugout a year after his Southampton sacking, Yongge again — by wearing clown masks. CHELTENHAM have not
to see his side lose at Reading. tion and a Championship play-off semi-final.
But the 50-year-old played down any They were sent home happy with a solid lost in their last five
Two Femi Azeez goals extended a winless comparisons with his old side. team display, in a deserved win. league visits to
run of 13 games for the South Londoners. He said: “It’s impossible to say whether Both goals came from poor clearances Cambridge (W4 D1)
Jones is the sixth permanent manager at Charlton can do what Luton have done. after Amadou Mbengue long throws into
The Valley since Lee Bowyer quit back in since a 4-3 defeat in
“My first impression this week was the box, which allowed Azeez to fire home. April 2018 when
March 2021. exactly what I knew. It’s a young group, Senegalese ace Mbengue revealed Royals
Charlton fans gave their new boss a far energetic group, it’s a group that needs boss Ruben Selles influenced his throwing. Barry Corr won it
with a late
warmer welcome than his final game at St lifting and a bit of guidance. He said: “I do a lot of work on it and the
Mary’s, where a Saints supporter showed a “I’ve missed football. It’s great to be back gaffer showed me more technique on how to goal.
cutout of a P45 at him. The Addicks faithful out here, you don’t enjoy the result but you do it. It keeps working.”
16 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024
CHALLINOR . . . injuries
Challinor
crock jolt
Grimsby...............1
Stockport...........3
DAVE CHALLINOR hopes
Stockport’s growing injury
list does not derail their
League Two title bid.
The Hatters put Grimsby
to the sword in a scintil-
lating first half-hour.
Antoni Sarcevic and
Isaac Olaofe struck before
Lewis Cass’ debut goal.
Abo Eisa grabbed a
second-half consolation.
But Akil Wright went
down injured days after
fellow defender Macauley
Southam-Hales was ruled
out for the season.
Challinor admitted: “The
pitch was tough. The top
inch was coming up.
“Lads were slipping
all over the place.
Whether that resulted in
an injury, I’m not sure.
“It’s not an explosion of
ridiculous pain for Akil,
it’s an awareness. I’d
suggest it will be a couple
of weeks. It’s another
hurdle, another obstacle.
“We’ve had a number of
those over the course of
the season.
“I’m sure they will
continue to be the case.”
Grimsby midfielder
Harry Clifton said: “We
can’t afford to concede
the goals we are doing
and expect to win.
“Going 3-0 down at
half-time killed us.”
Keep it
cool, Con
Harrogate............1
Colchester..........0
ANTHONY O’CONNOR will
not get too excited despite
climbing into the top seven
for the first time this term.
Harrogate equalled their
club-record unbeaten run
of six league games at
EFL level — thanks to
Jack Muldoon’s scrappy,
stoppage-time winner.
Defender O’Connor, 31,
said: “Nothing is given to
you at this stage.
“I’ve learned that, if you
start getting ahead of
yourselves, there’ll be a
big kick up the backside
around the corner.
“You can’t take anybody
lightly in this division.”
Colchester’s 20-year-old
No 1 Owen Goodman made
an error for the goal — but
only after many U’s players
missed easy chances.
One of those, Alistair
Smith, argued: “We didn’t
take our chances, which put
pressure on a young keeper
who’s been fantastic.”
LEAGUE TWO
NO BRAN FLAKE
MORECAMBE’S Joel Senior says
new manager Ged Brannan is
beginning to make a big impact.
Brannan sealed a first home win
in seven games since taking over
from Derek Adams in November.
The victory also made it three
wins in the last four matches.
Defender Senior, who created Ged
Garner’s fourth-minute winner, said:
“The gaffer is putting his influence
on stuff and the lads are taking
more confidence from the results we
are getting.
“We are on a decent run and
should have won more games than
we have recently but we are
working hard on the training pitch
and things are coming off.
“The goal we scored was some-
thing we have been working on in
training all week and it’s really nice
to see that hard work pay off. It
IT’S HORSES
FOR COURSES
Graham back to
give Wrexham
a rough ride
SWAN MUST FLY SOLO
By JEFF TAPLIN
WILL SWAN was told he needs
to be selfish to help rid Nigel
Clough of his demons.
Ollie Clarke and Tom Nichols
put Mansfield in control with a
goal in either half against bottom
club Forest Green — before Swan
added a third on 78 minutes.
Yet striker Swan, 23, revealed:
“The gaffer has told me to be
more selfish, which is great.
“You can get stick from the lads
for being too selfish but if that’s
what the gaffer’s asking of you,
you can tell them to shut up!
“It’s knowing when to do the
right thing. I cut one back for
Morecambe......................1
Sutton................................0
gave us a great start but then we
stopped doing what was working for
us until the second half, where we
created a lot of chances and should
have won more comfortably really.”
The Shrimps had several chances
to add to their lead, plus Gwion
Edwards’ disallowed goal.
Sutton boss Steve Morison said:
“We have been a lot better than
that in recent weeks and we
dropped our standards.
“I made three changes at the
break because I was annoyed by the
way we had played in the first half.
“Although we didn’t really
threaten and were a bit panicky at
times, we stayed in the game.”
BRADFORD have lost
just one of their last
14
against Wrexham (W8
D5) — the loss being
a 1-0 away defeat
THAT’S ANDY . . .
Cook hails winner
Forest Green................0
Mansfield.......................4
George Maris and was told I
should have taken it myself —
but then I cut a similar one
back for Tom and he scored
knowing when to be selfish.”
The Stags missed out on the
play-offs by one goal last season
and Clough was delighted when
Clarke bagged his second for 4-0.
The manager admitted: “Having
lost out last season on goal
difference, I don’t want that feel-
ing again.
“We encourage players to get
SUTTON have won just one of their last 21
away league matches (D7 L13) — the
solitary victory since February 25 last year
a Boxing Day success at Wimbledon.
MORE TO COME . . . matchwinner Garner goes close to goal
Wrexham......................0
Bradford........................1
By TONY BUGBY
GRAHAM ALEXANDER had
no magic recipe for success
after notching a second win
at high-flying Wrexham in
the same season.
The Bradford boss was in
charge of MK Dons when they
won 5-3 at the Racecourse on
the opening day of the season.
Wrexham have the best home
record in the division but both
their league losses have been
masterminded by Alexander.
He said: “I try and instil a
14
belief in my players and teams
wherever I am that we can win
a game of football.
“We went three against three
up front to let Wrexham and
our supporters know we were
here to try and win.”
league games It was the Bantams’ first
league win in 2024 after a run
of eight games without a victory.
Alexander added: “This is
in September something we have been craving
2004. for a few weeks but going into
the game it was unlikely given
the fixture, who we were playing
and where.”
Andy Cook hit a 90th-minute
winner not long after having a
penalty saved by Arsenal loanee
keeper Arthur Okonkwo, when
he was fouled by Aaron Hayden.
It was also the first time in 52
home league games — a club
record — that the Red Dragons
had failed to find the net.
It was Wrexham’s third
straight league loss as they
slipped down to fifth place in
the table.
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson
said: “It hurts because we
dominated the first half which
was probably as good as we
have had for some time.
“We know we are in a period
when things are not going our
way. The lads are giving every-
thing but we just couldn’t find
that moment to open the door.”
another goal. The number of
times Manchester United
under Alex Ferguson
would be 2-0 up and
then score again in
the 90-plus minute.”
Richard Keogh, 37,
made his Rovers debut and
said: “There no place for
egos. We must take accountability.
“That’s not down to the manager. STAG DO . . . Swan
He’s giving us everything he can.” celebrates the opener
Forest Green are nine points
adrift at the bottom and boss with team-mates
Steve Cotterill added: “I’ve got to
support the players in tough
times. There’s not a lot more
you can do.
“I feel there have been
improvements. I hope I’m right.”
PAYNE . . . hit leveller
Payne a
peeker
MK Dons.............2
Accrington..........1
MK DONS midfielder Jack
Payne has made a shock
confession — he looks at
the table!
Most players and bosses
insist they are only inter-
ested in the next game.
But after his goal
helped Dons beat Accring-
ton, he admitted: “The
first thing I check are the
results around us and
where we are in the table.
“I know the gaffer and
assistant have been asked
if they look at the league
table and they say ‘no’.
“But I would be lying if
I said that. It’s the first
thing I check.”
Stanley started well
through Jack Nolan’s solo
effort. But after Payne’s
leveller, Joe Tomlinson
added a late winner.
Nolan said: “We’re
throwing away points at
the moment. It’s coming
down to the last five or so
minutes of games.”
5
JACK NOLAN was
involved in his fifth
League Two goal of
2024 for Accrington
— only Notts
County’s Jodi
Jones (7) has
more.
Flippin’
Hak, lad
Doncaster..........2
Tranmere.............1
HAKEEB ADELAKUN aimed
to show restraint after his
first Doncaster goal —
but failed in his mission.
The Lincoln loanee
rounded Tranmere keeper
Luke McGee and slotted
home to secure a first
win for struggling Donny
since New Year’s Day.
And he busted out a
double flip to celebrate
but said: “I wasn’t
planning to do it but the
excitement took over. It
is something I’ve done
since I was young.
“It was brilliant for
us. You saw the boys put
their bodies on the line
and defend as a unit so
it’s massive for us.”
Joe Ironside headed
Doncaster’s opener on 15
minutes but Josh Hawkes
equalised on the hour.
The win moved Donny
ten points clear of the
League Two drop zone.

STAT
Macauley Langstaff (Notts, left).....20
ATTACK
Matt Smith (Salford).......................19
Will Evans (Newport) ...................... 17
Young (B’ford), Oloafe (S’port).....16
Thank Evans
WHERE THERE’S A WILL, THERE’S A WAY
By JOHN CURTIS
HARRY CHARSLEY believes keeping Newport....................................3
hold of top scorer Will Evans has
given Newport’s play-off hopes a
huge lift. can happen at this level in January with
players coming and going, so we have
Evans scored his 21st goal of the
season during County’s stroll to victory
at Walsall.
Boss Graham Coughlan described it as
a goal of Premier League quality in
between Bryn Morris’ opener and sub
Charsley’s header.
Newport chairman Huw Jenkins
confirmed the club rejected multiple
offers to sell Evans during the January
transfer window.
The Exiles are now only four points
outside the play-off places after a fourth
successive win extended their unbeaten
league run to seven games.
Charsley said: “Will is such a key
player for us along with Seb
Palmer-Houlden up front and him
staying is really important. Things
JACKO JUST LOVES JOSH
By BEN BACON
JOHNNIE JACKSON may have
unearthed another rough diamond
in striker Josh Kelly.
Signed on deadline day from
Solihull Moors to replace Ipswich-
bound Ali Al-Hamadi, Kelly could
have capped his Wimbledon home
debut with a double.
Windsor-born Kelly, 25, has pace to
burn and worried Barrow until his
late substitution.
Dons chief Jackson, who plucked Iraq
international Al-Hamadi from obscurity
at Wycombe, said: “Ali was great for
us but that chapter is now closed.
“There will be a new hero
soon . . . and Josh Kelly is going to
LEADING GOALSCORERS
GOALS SCORED
Walsall.......................................0
been lucky in the sense that we haven’t
lost anyone.
“It is always positive when players stay
and instead we’ve brought in Luke
Jephcott who is going to add goals and
competition.”
Charsley expects Newport to kick on
with their challenge for promotion now
that a lengthy injury list has eased.
He added: “At one stage, we had so
many people out, the team was changing
every week and we couldn’t get into a
rhythm.
“But now we’ve got a full squad
available and a strong set of substi-
tutes, whereas before we were
lucky to fill the bench.”
Newport’s good fortune with
COUNT THEM UP . . . Evans
tucks home Newport’s second
WILL POWER
TOP SCORERS 2023-24
(Top four tiers. All comps)
Ga G
me oa
s ls
Sammie Szmodics (Blackburn) 31 22
WILL EVANS (Newport) 39 21
Jamie Reid (Stevenage) 37 21
Macauley Langstaff (Notts Co) 33 21
Erling Haaland (Man City) 25 21
Matt Smith (Salford) 36 20
Alfie May (Charlton) 35 20
Wimbledon...........................2
Barrow....................................0
score goals. He’s quick with great
movement and we’re going to give him
the platform to play to his strengths.
“On another day, he scores twice but
it is really encouraging.”
Acting skipper Armani Little, 26,
agrees about Kelly’s raw potential —
after all, it was Kelly’s challenge on
Barrow keeper Paul Farman that led to
Ronan Curtis’ opening 16th-minute goal.
Omar Bugiel scored Wimbledon’s
second goal ten minutes later.
Barrow’s misery was complete three
minutes from time when Jamie Proctor
29 2.4 52 3
AVE PER GAME
Evans is in contrast to that of Walsall
whose own top scorer — ten-goal Freddie
Draper — was recalled from a loan spell
last month by Lincoln.
The Saddlers have only two points
from four games since his return to the
Imps and spurned the sort of chances
here that he would surely have scored.
Mat Sadler’s Walsall — who also saw
keeper Owen Evans sent off late on for
handling outside the box — have now
slipped nine points adrift in the battle
for a play-off spot.
But boss Sadler said: “I’m sure there
will be runs of results that will happen
from now until the end of the season for
someone to get into that pack and we
will keep fighting, keep pushing.
“We’ve got 17 brilliant games ahead
and we certainly won’t be throwing in
the towel.
“There’s a hell of a long time left in
the season and we have to keep
believing the momentum will shift back
in our favour again.”
saw red for kicking Kofi Balmer.
The win moves Dons eighth —
one point off a play-off spot.
Little, deputising for crocked
Jake Reeves, said: “Losing Ali
is a huge blow. But Josh has
come in and done brilliantly.”
Bluebirds boss Pete Wild,
whose fourth-placed side
host rock-bottom Forest
Green tomorrow, said:
“We’ve played 31 games and
had six bad days.
“So now is not the time to HUGS . . . Kelly and
think, ‘Oh, my God’. goal-hero Curtis
“We go again on Tuesday. It’s
not a disaster but football can
slap you in the face when you’re
on a high.”
Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 17
in association with
RIO GRAND
. . . Adebisi
nets winner
This may be
Alex’s Turn
By SAM ALEXANDER
ED TURNS thinks Crewe’s rise into the top three
has come just at the right time as they square
up to leaders Stockport tomorrow.
Rio Adebisi turned in Conor Thomas’ cross on 61
minutes and that was enough to see off Crawley.
And centre-half Turns, 21, marked his home debut
by picking up the man-of-the-match award as the
Railwaymen secured a first win in three games.
Turns, on loan from Brighton, said: “It gives you
confidence being in the automatic places but we
know Stockport are top
of the table for a reason.
“They’re a good team
and it will be a tough
Crewe...................1
game, although we will Crawley...............0
build on this and go
there and give them a Campbell could have put
right good game.” Crawley ahead but shot
After spending the first tamely at keeper Harvey
half of the season at Davies despite a clear
Leyton Orient, Sussex- sight of goal.
born Turns added: “It’s
been brilliant coming Town have a dismal
here and the staff are record at Alex, this being
great, which makes it a their ninth defeat in ten
lot easier when you are outings to Gresty Road
so far up north away since promotion to the
from home. Football League in 2011.
“Players who have been But Crawley skipper
here before have told me Dion Conroy did at least
the fans are great and I take heart from an
could see that in my first improved display.
home game as they really He said: “Bar the
got behind us. result, it was a good per-
“We played a back formance. At the start of
three here. I was not the season a lot of people
really sure what the were saying we were
gaffer’s preferred sys- going to be relegated but
tem was but obviously we’ve done really well.
he likes to adapt and “We’ve probably hit a
I’m comfortable playing patch where our form
in a four or a three at hasn’t been great and
the back.” we’ve got to stop that.
Crewe carved out the “We have two games at
better chances but were home and need the
never convincing winners. support from the fans
Elliott Nevitt thumped more than ever to lift the
a post in the first half, spirits and to help us get
though before then Adam to around the play-offs.”
Hendry eyeing
late Ammbush
Swindon..................1 Salford..................1
By MATT TAYLOR
CALLUM HENDRY believes he and new boss Karl
Robinson still have time to revive Salford’s season.
The sub, who levelled two minutes into injury
time and nearly hit a winner in the dying seconds,
backs the Ammies to make a late play-off surge.
Hendry, 26, said: “This point was massive. But
the gaffer told us at half-time that he didn’t want
to draw this game, he wanted us to go and win it.
“The season’s not over, no chance. At the back of
most people’s minds, especially in a league like this,
is anything can happen.”
Town revamped their forward line in January and
threw on returning hero Harry McKirdy, new boy
Aaron Drinan and old-stager Charlie Austin to
turn the game in the last half-hour.
Swindon peppered the City goal and finally went
ahead with George McEachran’s strike in the 82nd
minute before Hendry’s late sucker punch.
Loanee Zachary Elbouzedi said: “We looked pretty
sharp. The only thing missing was the final pass, the
final shot. That comes with playing games together.”
 18 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024

RESULTS & TABLES

ROTHERHAM are now without an away
league win in 28 matches (D11 L17) —
a club record and the longest run in the
EFL since Gillingham (30, 2009-10).

PREMIER LEAGUE MY XI PLUS CHAMPIONSHIP

FULHAM (2) 3 AFC B’MOUTH (0) 1 Liverpool
P W D L
24 16 6 2
F
55
A
23
Pts
54
BLACKBURN (3) 3 STOKE (1) 1 Leicester
P
31
W
24
D
3
L
4
F
66
A
24
Pts
75
De Cordova-Reid 6 Senesi 50 Man City 23 16 4 3 56 25 52 This week DARREN ANDERTON Dolan 7, 37
Szmodics 20
Ennis 39
Att: 15,104
Southampton
Leeds
30
31
19
19
7
6
4
6
60
55
35
26
64
63
Muniz 36, 52 Att 24,271
Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Diop, Ream, Robinson, Joao
Arsenal
Tottenham
24 16 4 4
24 14 5 5
53
51
22
36
52
47
selects his England XI for the Euros Blackburn: Pears, Hyam, McFadzean, Chrisene, Brittain, Ipswich 30 17 9 4 55 40 60
Rankin-Costello (Garrett 66), Tronstad, Hedges (O’Riordan West Brom 30 14 7 9 43 29 49
Palhinha, Cairney (Reed 63), De Cordova-Reid (Wilson Aston Villa 24 14 4 6 50 32 46 GARETH SOUTHGATE’S England kick off their 68), Dolan (Moran 85), Szmodics (Sigurdsson 85), Gallagh- Coventry 31 12 11 8 48 35 47
64), Andreas Pereira (Ballo-Toure 85), Willian (Traore 85), Man Utd 24 13 2 9 33 33 41 er (Telalovic 66). Subs not used: Wahlstedt, Markanday, Sunderland 31 14 5 12 44 34 47
Rodrigo Muniz (Broja 75). Subs not used: Rodak, Lukic, De opening Euro finals game against Serbia Fleck, Ayari. Hull 30 13 6 11 43 39 45
Newcastle 24 11 3 10 51 39 36
Fougerolles, King. Booked: Wilson. West Ham 24 10 6 8 36 42 36 on June 16 in Gelsenkirchen. Stoke: Iversen, Tchamadeu, McNally (Haksabanovic 78), Norwich 31 13 6 12 50 47 45

AFC Bournemouth: Neto, Smith (Faivre 85), Zabarnyi, Se- Brighton 24 9 8 7 43 40 35 This week we have let DARREN Wilmot, Gooch (Baker 60), Andre Vidigal, Burger (Wesley Preston 31 13 6 12 40 49 45
78), Johnson (Hoever 60), Manhoef (Cundle 60), Bae, En- Watford 31 10 11 10 46 41 41
nesi, Kelly (Kerkez 46), Christie, Cook, Tavernier (Ouattara Wolves 24 9 5 10 37 39 32 ANDERTON pick the Three Lions XI he nis. Subs not used: Pearson, Campbell, Bonham, Thomp- Middlesbrough 30 12 5 13 44 44 41
69), Scott (Semenyo 63), Sinisterra (Unal 69), Solanke. Chelsea 23 9 4 10 38 39 31 would like to see line up against the son. Booked: McNally, Tchamadeu. Bristol City 31 11 8 12 35 35 41
Subs not used: Mepham, Kluivert, Travers, Sadi. Booked: Fulham 24 8 5 11 33 39 29 Serbians, plus four players he Cardiff 30 12 4 14 36 41 40
Smith, Solanke. Bournemouth 23 7 6 10 31 44 27 believes should be in the squad. CARDIFF (0) 0 PRESTON (2) 2 Plymouth 30 9 9 12 49 50 36
Jakobsen 31 Swansea 31 9 9 13 40 48 36
Brentford 23 7 4 12 34 39 25 Anderton, 51, won 30 England caps between
LIVERPOOL (1) 3 BURNLEY (1) 1 Crystal Palace 23 6 6 11 26 40 24 1994 and 2001 and was an ever-present in Terry
Att: 18,763 Whiteman 40
Blackburn
Millwall
30
31
11
8
3
9
16
14
45
31
56
40
36
33
Jota 31 O’Shea 45 Nottm Forest 24 5 6 13 30 44 21 Cardiff: Alnwick, Ng, Goutas, Phillips (Meite 84), Collins, Birmingham 30 8 8 14 34 47 32
Venables’ Euro 96 side that agonisingly missed Wintle (Ramsey 46), Siopis, Bowler (Wilson-Esbrand 46),
Diaz 52 Att 59,896 Luton 23 5 5 13 33 45 20 Stoke 31 8 8 15 29 45 32
out on a final place after losing on penalties Turnbull (Colwill 71), Ahearne-Grant, Etete (Diedhiou 62). Huddersfield 31 6 13 12 36 52 31
Nunez 79 Everton 24 8 5 11 26 32 19 Subs not used: Horvath, Romeo, Ralls, Tanner. Booked:
Burnley 24 3 4 17 25 50 13
against Germany at Wembley. Alnwick, Meite.
QPR 31 7 8 16 29 43 29
Liverpool: Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold (Elliott 46), Quansah, The former attacking midfielder prefers only Sheff Wed 31 7 5 19 24 50 26
van Dijk, Robertson (Tsimikas 90), Mac Allister (Clark 90), Sheff Utd 24 3 4 17 22 60 13 Preston North End: Woodman, Storey, Lindsay, Hughes, Rotherham 30 3 10 17 25 57 19
(Everton deducted 10 points) one holding midfield player in Declan Rice with Potts (McCann 72), Browne (Ledson 80), Whiteman,
Endo (McConnell 90), Jones, Jota, Nunez, Diaz (Gakpo
James Maddison supporting Jude Bellingham Frokjaer-Jensen (Woodburn 87), Millar (Brady 86), Jakob-
82). Subs not used: Adrian, Gravenberch, Koumas, Mrozek.
Booked: Endo, Nunez, Quansah. LEADING SCORERS behind the front three.
He is also keen to see potential game-changers
sen (Osmajic 86), Keane. Subs not used: Cunningham,
Stewart, Cornell, Whatmough. Booked: Frokjaer-Jensen.
SOUTHAMPTN (0) 5 HUD’SFIELD (2) 3
Rothwell 49, 50 Thomas 36
Burnley: Trafford, Assignon, O’Shea, Esteve (Vitinho 80), Haaland (Man City) 16 HULL (0) 0 SWANSEA (1) 1 Lees 80 (og) Kasumu 45
Delcroix, Ramsey (Massengo 81), Berge, Brownhill, Odo- Salah (Liverpool) 14 Cole Palmer, Anthony Gordon and Jarrod Bowen Mara 84 Matos 65
bert, Fofana, Amdouni (Bruun Larsen 86). Subs not used: Solanke (Bournemouth) 13 as part of Southgate’s squad for the finals in Att: 21,017 Cullen 11 Edozie 90 Att: 29,863
Cork, Rodriguez, Benson, Ekdal, Cullen, Muric. Booked: Son (Tottenham) 12 Germany. Hull: Allsop, Coyle (Sharp 55), Jones, Greaves, Giles, Mor- Southampton: Bazunu, Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis,
Brownhill, O’Shea. ton, Slater, Philogene-Bidace, Carvalho (Omur 76), Zaroury Bednarek, Manning, Smallbone, Downes (Rothwell 33), S
Bowen (West Ham) 11 (Connolly 68), Tufan (Traore 68). Subs not used: McLough- Armstrong (Sulemana 71), A Armstrong (Mara 79), Adams
LUTON (0) 1 SHEFF U (2) 3 Watkins ASSISTS
(Aston Villa) 11 DARREN’S lin, Docherty, Ohio, Jacob, Pandur. Booked: Morton. (Brooks 46), Fraser (Edozie 71). Subs not used: Stephens,
Lumley, Charles, Dibling. Booked: Bednarek, Manning.
Morris 52 (pen) Archer 30 Watkins (Aston Villa) 10 ENGLAND Swansea: Rushworth, Naughton (Humphreys 74), Cabango,
Wood-Gordon, Tymon, Fulton (Patino 79), Grimes, Ronald Huddersfield: Nicholls, Pearson, Lees, Nakayama, Kasumu
Att 11,138 McAtee 36 (pen) Trippier (Newcastle) 9 EURO (Cooper 80), Paterson, Placheta (Allen 67), Cullen (Yates
66). Subs not used: Fisher, Kukharevych, Sagoe Junior, Lis-
(Radulovic 87), Matos (Wiles 87), Hogg (Diarra 87), Spencer
(Jackson 67), Rudoni, Koroma (Jones 77), Thomas. Subs
Souza 72 Salah (Liverpool) 8 FINALS XI sah. Booked: Cabango, Grimes, Humphreys. not used: Maxwell, Edwards, Iorpenda, Bellagambi. Booked:
Luton: Kaminski, Burke (Townsend 68), Osho, Bell, Ogbene, Gross (Brighton) 8 Jackson, Rudoni, Spencer.
Sambi Lokonga, Barkley, Doughty (Berry 87), Clark (Chong Neto (Wolverhampton) 8 IPSWICH (0) 2 WEST BROM (1) 2
53), Morris (Woodrow 87), Adebayo. Subs not used: Kabore, JORDAN PICKFORD
Broadhead 46 Fellows 18
SUNDERLAND (0) 3 PLYMOUTH (1) 1
Mengi, Mpanzu, Brown, Krul. Booked: Morris. GK Giraud-Hutchinson 90 Swift 76 Ekwah 52, Clarke 59 Hardie 39
Sheff Utd: Foderingham, Bogle, Holgate, Ahmedhodzic,
WOLVES (0) 0 BRENTFORD (1) 2 Att: 29,016 Bellingham 67 Att: 41,269
Robinson, Norrington-Davies (Lowe 5), McAtee (Norwood Att 30,731 Norgaard 35 Ipswich: Hladky, Clarke, Woolfenden, Edmundson, Davis Sunderland: Patterson, Hume, Ballard, O’Nien (Seelt 88),
(Humphreys 90), Morsy, Luongo (Al Hamadi 83), Burns Hjelde, Neil, Roberts (Mundle 69), Ekwah (Rigg 65), Ba
81), Vinicius Souza, Hamer (Davies 60), Osborn, Arch- Toney 77 (Bellingham 65), Clarke, Rusyn. Subs not used: Pembele,
er (Brewster 81). Subs not used: Trusty, Larouci, Osula, (Giraud-Hutchinson 74), Chaplin (Harness 74), Broadhead
Wolverhampton: Jose Sa, Kilman, Dawson, Gomes (Fraser (Sarmiento 83), Moore. Subs not used: Walton, Jackson, Semedo, Burstow, Aouchiche, Bishop. Booked: Ba.
Brooks, Amissah. Booked: Hamer, Holgate. Travis, Tuanzebe. Booked: Clarke, Morsy.
46), Nelson Semedo (Doherty 83), Lemina, Joao Gomes Plymouth: Hazard, Phillips (Pleguezuelo 77), Gibson, Gal-
JOHN HARRY loway, Mumba (Sorinola 72), Gyabi, Forshaw (Randell 65),
MAN CITY (0) 2 EVERTON (0) 0 (Doyle 63), Ait Nouri, Sarabia, Matheus Cunha (Bellegarde
20), Pedro Neto. Subs not used: S Bueno, Traore, H Bueno,
STONES MAGUIRE West Brom: Palmer, Furlong, Bartley (Chalobah 46), Kipre,
Townsend, Yokuslu, Mowatt, Wallace, Weimann (Pipa Miller (Sousa 72), Whittaker, Hardie, Devine (Waine 78).
Subs not used: Scarr, Edwards, Burton, Issaka. Booked:
Haaland 71, 85 Bentley, Chirewa. Booked: Fraser, Lemina. CB CB 83), Fellows (Johnston 56), Thomas-Asante (D Dike 55
Gyabi, Mumba, Phillips, Sorinola, Whittaker.
KYLE LUKE (Swift 65)). Subs not used: Pieters, Marshall, Griffiths, Hall.
Man City: Ederson, Stones, Dias, Ake, Akanji (Walker 57), Brentford: Flekken, Collins, Pinnock, Mee, Roerslev, Jensen SHAW Booked: Chalobah, Furlong, Weimann.
Rodri, Foden, Matheus Luiz (De Bruyne 57), Alvarez (Ber- (Yarmolyuk 69), Norgaard (Ajer 85), Janelt (Baptiste 85), WALKER WATFORD (0) 1 LEICESTER (1) 2
nardo Silva 77), Doku (Grealish 87), Haaland. Subs not Reguilon, Toney, Maupay (Lewis-Potter 76). Subs not used: RB LB LEEDS (1) 3 ROTHERHAM (0) 0 Dennis 63 Daka 11 (pen)
used: Ortega, Gvardiol, Bobb, Wright, Lewis. Jorgensen, Ghoddos, Strakosha, Damsgaard, Brierley. Bamford 10 Att: 35,261 Att: 20,597 Pereira 55
Booked: Flekken, Janelt, Jensen. Summerville 52, Watford: Hamer, Dele-Bashiru, Porteous, Hoedt, Lewis,
Everton: Pickford, Godfrey (Coleman 56), Tarkowski, Bran-

PLAYED YESTERDAY
60 (pen) Kone, Livermore, Chakvetadze (Ince 72), Matheus Mar-
thwaite, Mykolenko, Gueye (Chermiti 89), Garner, Young tins (Andrews 61), Bayo (M Rajovic 3 (Asprilla 60)), Sema
(Onana 78), Harrison, McNeil (Dobbin 88), Calvert-Lewin DECLAN Leeds: Meslier, Gray, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo (Byram 64), (Dennis 60). Subs not used: Bachmann, Sierralta, Pollock,
(Beto 78). Subs not used: Patterson, Keane, Virginia, Hunt. RICE Gruev (Roberts 75), Kamara (Cresswell 84), Gnonto, Rutter, Morris. Booked: Hoedt, Porteous.
Summerville (Piroe 63), Bamford (Fernandez 75). Subs not
Booked: Garner, Gueye. CM
ASTON VILLA (0) 1 MAN UTD (1) 2 JAMES JUDE
used: Cooper, Anthony, Klaesson, Gelhardt. Leicester: Hermansen, Nelson (Doyle 62), Faes, Jus-
tin, Ricardo Pereira, Winks, Fatawu (Mavididi 83), Praet
N FOREST (2) 2 NEWCASTLE (2) 3 Douglas Luiz 67 Hojlund 17 MADDISON BELLINGHAM
Rotherham: Johansson, Kioso, Odofin, Morrison (Hum-
phreys 79), Peltier, Revan, Cafu (Eaves 64), Tiehi (Rath-
(Choudhury 82), Dewsbury-Hall, McAteer, Daka (Vardy 72).
Subs not used: Coady, Cannon, Akgun, Alves, Stolarczyk.
Elanga 26 Guimaraes 10, 66 McTominay 86 CM CM bone 87), Clucas, Lindsay (Nombe 64), Hugill (Rinomhota Booked: Nelson, Vardy, Winks.
64). Subs not used: Wyke, Phillips, Appiah, Seriki. Booked:
Hudson-Odoi 45 Schar 43
Att 29,451
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Diego Carlos, Lenglet, Alex
Moreno (Digne 87), Kamara (Diaby 65), Douglas Luiz, Bai-
ley (Tielemans 73), McGinn (Zaniolo 87), Ramsey, Watkins.
Hugill, Nombe.

MIDDLESBRO’ (0) 1 BRISTOL CITY (2) 2

PLAYED YESTERDAY
Nottm Forest: Sels, Williams, Niakhate, Murillo, Tavares, Subs not used: Torres, Olsen, Rogers, Kesler-Hayden, COVENTRY (0) 2 MILLWALL (1) 1
Yates (Reyna 73), Dominguez (Danilo 78), Elanga, Gibbs- Silvera 90 Knight 16
Iroegbunam. Booked: Cash, Diaby, Lenglet. James 17 Wright 67 (pen), 70 Esse 12
White, Hudson-Odoi, Awoniyi (Origi 68). Subs not used:
Turner, Kouyate, Toffolo, Felipe, Omobamidele, Duarte Man Utd: Onana, Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Shaw (Lindelof Att: 24,881 Att: 24,168
Ribeiro. Booked: Gibbs-White. 46), Mainoo (Amrabat 90), Casemiro, Garnacho, Bruno Middlesbrough: Glover, Ayling, Fry, van den Berg, Engel Coventry: Collins, van Ewijk, Latibeaudiere, Binks, Dasilva,
Fernandes, Rashford (McTominay 73), Hojlund (Evans 90). BUKAYO PHIL (Thomas 68), O’Brien (McGree 68), Barlaser, Forss, Hack- Overgaard, Eccles (Thomas 57), Sakamoto, O’Hare, Palmer
Newcastle: Dubravka, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Long- Subs not used: Bayindir, Eriksen, Diallo, Antony, Forson. SAKA FODEN ney, Azaz, Greenwood (Silvera 80). Subs not used: Dieng, (Simms 57), Wright. Subs not used: Kelly, Wilson, Bidwell,
staff, Bruno Guimaraes, Miley (Livramento 82), Almiron
(Barnes 60), Wilson, Gordon (Krafth 90). Subs not used:
Booked: Casemiro, Mainoo. RW LW Clarke, Gilbert, Dijksteel, Howson, McNair. Booked: Barla-
ser.
Godden, Tavares, Lusala, Stretton.
Millwall: Sarkic, Tanganga, Harding, Cooper, McNamara,
Dummett, Lascelles, Ritchie, Karius, Hall, Murphy. Booked:
Botman, Wilson. WEST HAM (0) 0 ARSENAL (4) 6 Bristol City: O’Leary, Tanner, Vyner, Dickie, Pring (Roberts
78), Bell (McCrorie 58), James (Williams 71), Gardner-Hick-
Honeyman (Saville 77), De Norre, Bryan, Esse (Watmore
63), Flemming (Mayor 77), Obafemi (Bradshaw 63). Subs
Saliba 32 man, Cornick (Mehmeti 46), Knight, Wells (Conway 57). not used: Wallace, Mitchell, Campbell, Leonard, Bialkowski.
TOTTENHAM (0) 2 BRIGHTON (1) 1 Saka 41 (pen), 63 Subs not used: King, Bajic, Knight-Lebel, Mebude. Booked: Esse.

Sarr 61
Johnson 90
Gross 17 (pen)
Att 61,445
Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario , Porro, Romero, van de Ven,
Udogie (Hojbjerg 80), Sarr (Davies 80), Bentancur (Son 62),
Kulusevski (Bissouma 63), Maddison, Werner (Johnson 62),
Richarlison. Subs not used: Skipp, Dragusin, Emerson, For-
ster. Booked: Maddison, Sarr.
Brighton: Steele, Lamptey (Baleba 90), van Hecke, Dunk,
Estupinan, Gross, Gilmour (Baker-Boaitey 90), Lallana (Fati
57), Buonanotte (Veltman 83), Welbeck (Ferguson 83), Mi-
toma. Subs not used: Verbruggen, Webster, Moder, O’Ma-
hony. Booked: Buonanotte, Dunk, Estupinan.
Gabriel 44
Trossard 45 HARRY KANE
QPR (1)
Colback 27
2 NORWICH (0)
McLean 48
2 PLAYED FRIDAY
Rice 65 CF Frey 77 Sargent 62 SHEFF WED (1) 2 BIRMINGHAM (0) 0
West Ham: Areola, Coufal, Zouma (Mavropanos 46), Att: 17,831 Ugbo 15, 53
Aguerd, Emerson Palmieri (Cresswell 76), Soucek, Alvarez FOUR THAT DARREN WANTS TO SEE IN SQUAD QPR: Begovic, Cannon, Cook, Clarke-Salter, Paal, Colback, Sheff Wed: Beadle, Valentin, Bernard, Famewo (Ihiekwe
(Phillips 46), Kudus, Ward-Prowse, Johnson, Bowen. Subs Hayden (Dykes 86), Willock (Smyth 66), Hodge (Andersen 76), Johnson (Pedersen 88), Diaby (Vaulks 63), Ugbo, Pov-
not used: Fabianski, Cornet, Ings, Ogbonna, Mubama, 66), Chair (Dixon-Bonner 90), Armstrong (Frey 66). Subs eda-Ocampo (Musaba 76), Bannan, Gassama, Cadamarteri
Scarles. Booked: Alvarez, Areola, Kudus, Phillips. JARROD ANTHONY COLE OLLIE not used: Dunne, Archer, Fox, Larkeche. Booked: Chair, (Smith 75). Subs not used: Palmer, Wilks, Siqueira, Charles.
BOWEN GORDON PALMER WATKINS Clarke-Salter. Booked: Bannan, Smith, Vaulks.
Arsenal: Raya, White (Cedric 77), Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior, Norwich: Gunn, Stacey (Sorensen 69), Hanley, Gibson, Gi- Birmingham: Etheridge, Laird (Miyoshi 65), Bielik, Long,
Odegaard, Rice (Elneny 67), Havertz, Saka (Nelson 67), annoulis (McCallum 86), McLean, Gabriel Sara, Fassnacht Buchanan, Dozzell (Anderson 76), Sunjic (Paik 54), Ba-
Trossard (Nketiah 67), Martinelli (Nwaneri 77). Subs not (Rowe 59), Barnes, Sainz (Hernandez 86), Sargent (Nun- cuna, James, Dembele (T Roberts 65), Hogan (Stansfield
used: Ramsdale, Jorginho, Walters, Bandeira. Compiled By Russell Lanning ez 69). Subs not used: Gibbs, Long, van Hooijdonk, Batth. 55). Subs not used: M Roberts, Drameh, Gardner, Mayo.
Booked: Gibson, Hanley, McCallum, McLean. Booked: Bielik.

VANARAMA NATIONAL VANARAMA NATIONAL VANARAMA NORTH VANARAMA SOUTH FA TROPHY FIFTH ROUND THE PITCHING IN SOUTHERN PREMIER THE PITCHING IN NORTHERN PREMIER
NON-LEAGUE

Altrincham 3 Rochdale 0, Boreham Wood 1 P W D L F A Pts P W D L F A Pts P W D L F A Pts Bishop’s Stortford P Coalville Town P, SOUTH P W D L F A Pts
Maidenhead Utd 0, Chesterfield 2 Ebbsfleet Chesterfield 32 26 3 3 79 38 81 Tamworth 33 23 4 6 57 19 73 Yeovil 31 21 6 4 61 33 69 Bromley 2 Aveley 0, Chorley 1 Solihull Moors AFC Totton P Plymouth Parkway P, Radcliffe 29 22 1 6 80 41 67
United 2, Dag & Red 7 Oxford City 1, Dorking Bromley 32 16 10 6 53 35 58 Scunthorpe 32 18 7 7 59 26 61 Worthing 32 18 5 9 72 48 59 3, Hampton & Richmond 0 Macclesfield 2, Beaconsfield Town 2 Hayes & Yeading Utd Marine 30 16 7 7 65 36 55
Wanderers 1 FC Halifax 3, Eastleigh 1 AFC Barnet 31 17 5 9 59 45 56 Chester FC 33 15 9 9 41 23 54 Chelmsford 31 15 9 7 46 30 54 Hereford FC 0 Gateshead 1, Peterborough 3, Chesham Utd 4 Swindon Supermarine 0,
Altrincham 30 14 10 6 57 38 52 Hyde Utd 30 16 7 7 58 32 55
Fylde 2, Woking 1 Hartlepool 1. Curzon Ashton 32 15 8 9 44 34 53 Maidstone Utd 32 15 9 8 47 40 54 Sports 1 Kidderminster 0, Wealdstone P Dorchester Town 0 Gosport Borough 3, Han- Warrington Ry 29 14 11 4 47 31 53
Solihull Moors 31 14 8 9 48 42 50 Scarborough A 33 16 5 12 44 40 53 St Albans 32 16 4 12 58 45 52 Hendon P, Welling 0 Barnet 3.
VANARAMA NORTH well Town P Sholing P, Harrow Borough 3 Worksop Town 29 15 6 8 58 31 51
Aldershot 31 14 6 11 56 57 48 Brackley 32 15 7 10 38 27 52 Bath City 30 14 8 8 49 33 50
Gateshead 30 13 8 9 54 41 47 THE PITCHING IN NORTHERN PREMIER Didcot Town 3, Hungerford Town 0 Walton & Macclesfield 28 15 5 8 57 34 50
Banbury Utd P Rushall Olympic P (Postponed South Shields 32 14 8 10 54 37 50 Hampton & R 30 14 8 8 45 39 50 Hersham 1, Merthyr Town 2 Bracknell Town
- due to waterlogged pitch), Blyth Spartans P Oldham 30 12 10 8 45 39 46 Chorley 30 14 8 8 52 36 50 Braintree Tn 30 13 8 9 45 33 47 Ashton Utd 1 Guiseley 1, Atherton Collieries Guiseley 28 13 7 8 51 44 46
FC Halifax 32 11 1110 37 37 44 3, Salisbury FC 2 Poole Town 0, Tiverton
Buxton P, Chester FC 3 Scarborough Athletic Alfreton Tn 31 14 8 9 53 39 50 Slough 32 13 7 12 58 51 46 0 Gainsborough Trinity 1, Basford Utd 0 Hyde Ilkeston Town 31 14 4 13 52 46 46
Rochdale 31 11 8 12 48 47 41 Town P Winchester City P.
0, Darlington 0 Alfreton Town 2, Gloucester Hereford FC 32 15 5 12 41 45 50 Aveley 31 13 7 11 46 42 46 Utd 0, Ilkeston Town 2 Lancaster City 3, Mor- Whitby Town 26 13 6 7 43 30 45
0 South Shields 5, Scunthorpe 0 Curzon Hartlepool 33 12 5 16 50 59 41 peth Town 1 Bamber Bridge 3, Warrington THE PITCHING IN SOUTHERN PREMIER
Boston Utd 32 13 10 9 39 32 49 Torquay 31 14 3 14 52 54 45 Lancaster City 28 13 6 9 43 39 45
Ashton 1, Southport 3 Brackley 1, Tamworth Dag & Red 33 11 7 15 47 46 40 Rylands 1 Matlock Town 0, Whitby Town P CENTRAL
Boreham Wood 32 9 1310 41 51 40 Warrington Tn 32 13 9 10 46 39 48 Tonbridge 33 12 8 13 47 47 44 Ashton Utd 29 12 9 8 48 48 45
1 Farsley Celtic 0, Warrington Town 0 Boston Blyth Spartans 32 11 9 12 49 48 42 Hemel Hemp 33 12 8 13 43 47 44 FC United of Manchester P, Workington 0
Utd 0. Maidenhead 32 9 1211 32 39 39 Bradford P A 2, Worksop Town 1 Radcliffe 1. AFC Telford 4 Kettering 0, Berkhamsted 2 Morpeth Town 30 11 8 11 58 59 41
Eastleigh 32 10 9 13 53 64 39 Farsley Celtic 31 10 1110 29 34 41 Weymouth 31 10 1110 42 44 41 Needham Market 3, Halesowen Town 1 Red- Matlock Town 28 12 4 12 51 49 40
VANARAMA SOUTH Wealdstone 29 10 8 11 40 41 38 Buxton 31 10 8 13 43 41 38 Farnborough 30 10 9 11 48 51 39 THE PITCHING IN ISTHMIAN PREMIER ditch Utd 2, Hitchin Town 3 Stratford Town FC Utd of Manc 29 11 4 14 42 56 37
Bath City 1 Dartford 0, Chelmsford 1 York 31 8 1310 41 48 37 P’borough Sp 30 10 8 12 35 42 38 Weston-S-Mare 30 11 6 13 46 50 39 Bognor Regis Town 1 Cheshunt 1, Canvey Is- 4, Leamington 3 Royston Town 1, Leiston Bamber Bridge 29 8 1110 47 55 35
Weymouth 0, Chippenham 0 Braintree Town AFC Fylde 31 9 8 14 47 54 35 Banbury Utd 30 10 7 13 29 45 37 Chippenham 31 9 1111 40 43 38 land 3 Billericay 0, Chatham Town 2 Margate 1 Barwell 2, Long Eaton Utd 2 Alvechurch Workington 30 8 1012 54 64 34
1, Maidstone Utd 1 Hemel Hempstead 1, St Southend 30 13 5 12 44 33 34 Spennymoor 29 10 6 13 41 48 36 Truro City 27 10 5 12 37 40 35 1, Dulwich 2 Hornchurch 3, Enfield Town P 4, Mickleover 1 Bromsgrove Sporting 0,
Southport 31 10 5 16 36 58 35 Dartford 30 9 7 14 41 45 34 Gainsborough 28 9 5 14 34 51 32
Albans 6 Taunton Town 0, Tonbridge Angels Woking 32 9 7 16 32 40 34 Kingstonian P, Folkestone Invicta P Potters Stamford 2 AFC Sudbury 2.
Dorking 31 10 4 17 37 53 34 Rushall Olym 31 9 7 15 40 48 34 Taunton 29 7 1210 31 45 33 Basford Utd 31 5 9 17 30 51 24
2 Yeovil 4, Torquay 3 Slough 4, Truro City P Bar Town P, Haringey Borough 1 Whitehawk JD CYMRU PREMIER
Eastbourne Borough P (Postponed - due to Kidderminster 32 8 8 16 29 41 32 King’s Lynn Tn 32 7 1114 36 52 32 Welling 30 6 1014 34 54 28 1, Hashtag United 2 Carshalton Ath 2, Bradford P A 30 6 5 19 35 61 23
waterlogged pitch), Weston-S-Mare P Farn- Ebbsfleet Utd 33 8 8 17 40 58 32 Gloucester 33 7 7 19 35 54 28 Eastbourne B 31 7 6 18 35 57 27 Hastings Utd 1 Lewes 3, Horsham 1 Wingate Cardiff Met Uni 2 Caernarfon Town 2, New- Marske Utd 22 7 0 15 30 53 21
borough P (Postponed - due to waterlogged Oxford City 33 7 6 20 45 68 27 Darlington 31 6 7 18 22 56 25 Havant and W 31 7 3 21 38 64 24 & Finchley 1. Played Yesterday - Cray town 2 Connah’s Quay Nomads 3, Penybont Atherton C 28 5 3 20 35 72 18
pitch), Worthing 6 Dover 4. (Southend deducted 10 points) Bishop’s St 31 5 2 24 29 69 17 Dover 32 3 1217 33 59 21 Wanderers 1 Concord Rangers 1. 2 Barry Town United 2. Stafford R 28 5 2 21 27 62 17
 Monday, February 12, 2024 ............... 19
in association with
TERENCE VANCOOTEN became only the ACCRINGTON have never beaten
second Stevenage player to score a goal MK Dons away in the league in six
and an own goal in an EFL match after attempts (D1 L5), conceding a total
Scott Cuthbert v Crewe in December 2019. of 16 goals in those matches.

BARNSLEY (0)
LEAGUE ONE 2 LEY ORIENT (1) 1 Portsmouth
P W D L F
32 19 9 4 51 28
A Pts
66
LEAGUE TWO
AFC WIM’DON (2) 2 BARROW (0) 0 P
Stockport Cty 30
W
18
D
7
L
5
F
65
A
30
Pts
61
EURO RESULTS
LA LIGA SERIE A
Phillips 88, 90 Sotiriou 10 Cadiz 0 Real Betis 2; Alaves 1 Villarreal 1; Las Salernitana 1 Empoli 3; Cagliari 1 Lazio 3;
Derby 31 18 6 7 54 29 60 Curtis 16 Att: 7,373 Mansfield 30 15 12 3 52 24 57 Roma 2 Inter Milan 4; Sassuolo 1 Torino 1; AC
Palmas 2 Valencia 0; Real Madrid 4 Girona
Att: 12,370 Bolton 29 18 5 6 52 28 59 Bugiel 26 Crewe 31 15 9 7 56 44 54 0; Real Sociedad 0 Osasuna 1; Barcelona 3 Milan 1 Napoli 0; Bologna 4 Lecce 0; Fiorenti-
Barnsley: Roberts, Williams, Durand de Gevigney, Earl, Barnsley 30 16 8 6 55 34 56 AFC Wimbledon: Bass, Ogundere, Balmer, Brown, Currie, Barrow 31 14 11 6 43 32 53 Granada 3; Getafe 3 Celta Vigo 2; Mallorca 2 na 5 Frosinone 1; Genoa 1 Atalanta 4; Monza
Connell, Cotter (O’Keeffe 57), Phillips, Kane (Cosgrove 63), Peterborough 31 16 8 7 59 39 56 Ball (O’Toole 81), Little, Tilley, Bugiel (Pell 68), Curtis (Sasu Wrexham 29 15 7 7 55 41 52 Rayo Vallecano 1; Sevilla 1 Atletico Madrid 0. 0 Verona 0.
Cadden, McAtee (Grant 81), Cole. Subs not used: Russell, Stevenage 30 15 8 7 44 30 53 68), Kelly (Davison 81). Subs not used: Tzanev, Pearce, MK Dons 30 15 6 9 49 38 51 P W D L F A Pts P W D L F A Pts
Pines, Marsh, Killip. Booked: Connell, Durand de Gevigney, Oxford Utd 31 15 7 9 50 38 52 McLean. Booked: Ball, Balmer, O’Toole. Harrogate 30 14 5 11 38 37 47 Real Madrid 24 19 4 1 52 15 61 Inter Milan 23 19 3 1 55 12 60
Earl. Sent-off: Connell. Blackpool 31 13 8 10 48 36 47 AFC Wimbledon 30 12 10 8 46 34 46 Girona 24 17 5 2 52 29 56 Juventus 23 16 5 2 36 14 53
Barrow: Farman, Chester (Telford 73), Ray, Canavan, Wor-
Leyton Orient: Brynn, Galbraith, Beckles, Happe (Cooper Leyton Orient 31 12 9 10 35 36 45 rall, Spence (White 36), Campbell (Gotts 73), Stephenson Gillingham 30 14 4 12 29 36 46 Barcelona 24 15 6 3 50 33 51 AC Milan 24 16 4 4 47 27 52
14), James, Brown, El Mizouni, Forde (Pratley 63), Moncur (Foley 36), Newby, Whitfield (Proctor 62), Stockton. Subs Notts County 30 13 5 12 62 57 44 Atl Madrid 24 15 3 6 45 26 48 Atalanta 23 13 3 7 44 23 42
Lincoln City 31 10 11 10 33 31 41
(Hunt 63), O’Neill, Sotiriou (Pigott 53). Subs not used: How- not used: Lillis. Booked: Stephenson, White. Sent-off: Proc- Newport Cty 30 12 7 11 45 46 43 Ath Bilbao 23 13 6 4 42 21 45 Bologna 23 10 9 4 33 22 39
Northampton 30 12 5 13 37 43 41 Roma 24 11 5 8 42 30 38
es, Adu-Adjei, Edwards. Booked: Galbraith, O’Neill, Pigott. tor. Morecambe 29 12 7 10 43 45 43 Real Betis 24 9 11 4 28 25 38
Bristol Rovers 31 11 7 13 41 43 40 Lazio 23 11 4 8 28 24 37
Accrington 30 12 6 12 43 40 42 Real Sociedad 24 9 10 5 32 22 37
BLACKPOOL (1) 1 OXFORD (1) 1 Exeter
Wigan
32 11 6 15 25 43
31 13 6 12 44 38
39
37
CREWE (0) 1 CRAWLEY TN (0) 0 Bradford 31 10 10 11 36 39 40 Las Palmas 24 10 5 9 25 20 35 Fiorentina 23 11 4 8 36 26 37
Valencia 24 10 5 9 29 29 35 Napoli 23 10 5 8 32 27 35
Pennington 18 Harris 21 Wycombe 30 9 10 11 40 41 37 Adebisi 61 Att: 4,189 Crawley 29 12 3 14 44 48 39 Torino 23 8 9 6 21 20 33
Walsall 29 10 8 11 42 44 38 Getafe 24 8 9 7 32 33 33
Att: 10,485 Cambridge Utd 29 9 8 12 25 35 35 Crewe: Davies, Offord, Turns, Demetriou, Cooney (Billing- Monza 24 7 9 8 21 28 30
Swindon 31 10 8 13 54 57 38 Osasuna 24 8 5 11 27 36 29
Blackpool: Grimshaw, Pennington, Ekpiteta, Husband, Law- Burton Albion 31 9 8 14 27 40 35 ton 46), Holicek (Leigh 69), Thomas, Adebisi, Tracey (Kirk Alaves 24 7 6 11 24 31 27 Genoa 24 7 8 9 25 30 29
rence-Gabriel (Hamilton 73), Norburn (Byers 73), Morgan, Reading 31 10 8 13 40 44 34 69), Rowe (Austerfield 80), Nevitt (Baker-Richardson 70). Tranmere 31 11 4 16 46 45 37 Lecce 24 5 9 10 24 37 24
Villarreal 24 6 7 11 34 46 25
Coulson (Lyons 90), Dembele, Lavery (Kouassi 73), Joseph. Shrewsbury 31 10 4 17 22 42 34 Subs not used: Westwood, Agius. Booked: Cooney, Leigh, Salford City 31 9 8 14 43 53 35 Frosinone 24 6 5 13 32 49 23
R Vallecano 24 5 9 10 21 32 24
Subs not used: O’Donnell, Virtue, Casey. Booked: Byers, Charlton 31 7 10 14 43 48 31 Offord, Rowe. Doncaster 30 9 5 16 35 54 32 Empoli 24 5 6 13 18 37 21
Mallorca 24 4 11 9 21 31 23
Husband, Lavery. Port Vale 29 8 7 14 30 45 31 Grimsby 30 6 11 13 42 54 29 Sevilla 24 5 8 11 30 37 23 Sassuolo 23 5 5 13 29 42 20
Crawley Town: Addai, Ransom, Conroy, Maguire, Tsaroulla
Oxford Utd: Cumming, Long, Moore, Brown, Leigh, Branna- Cheltenham 29 7 5 17 22 40 26 (Adeyemo 75), Wright, L Kelly, Forster (J Kelly 70), Lolos, Colchester 31 8 5 18 42 59 29 Celta Vigo 24 4 8 12 26 35 20 Udinese 23 2 13 8 23 37 19
gan, McGuane, Burey (Murphy 46), Rodrigues (Matete 77), Orsi-Dadomo, Campbell (Darcy 70). Subs not used: Gordon, Sutton Utd 31 4 10 17 34 60 22 Cadiz 24 2 11 11 15 33 17 Verona 24 4 7 13 21 32 19
Fleetwood 31 6 7 18 31 52 25
Goodrham (Goodwin 61), Harris (Bodin 83). Subs not used: Roles, Sandford, Olagunju. Booked: Addai, Campbell. Forest Green 30 4 8 18 30 57 20 Granada 24 2 7 15 26 48 13 Cagliari 24 4 6 14 22 45 18
Carlisle 31 4 8 19 26 51 20 Salernitana 24 2 7 15 20 47 13
Thorniley, Eastwood, Henry. Booked: Long. Almeria 23 0 6 17 22 51 6
DONCASTER (1) 2 TRANMERE (0) 1 LEADING SCORERS
(Wigan deducted 8pts.Reading deducted 4pts)
LIGUE 1
BRISTOL R (0) 1 BURTON ALB (1) 2 BUNDESLIGA
Evans 60 Gilligan 43 LEADING SCORERS Ironside 15
Adelakun 64
Hawkes 60
Att: 6,389
Langstaff (Notts County) 20 Borussia Dortmund 3 Freiburg 0; Augsburg
Marseille 1 Metz 1; Lens 3 Strasbourg 1; PSG
3 Lille 1; Clermont Foot 1 Brest 1; Le Havre
Smith (Salford City) 19 2 RB Leipzig 2; Bayer Leverkusen 3 Bayern
Helm 57 Reid (Stevenage) 17 Doncaster: Lo-Tutala, Bailey, Sterry, Olowu (Anderson 46), Evans Munich 0; Borussia M’gladbach 0 Darmstadt
0 Rennes 1; Lorient 2 Reims 0; Montpellier 1
Att: 7,855 Cole (Barnsley) 17 (Newport County) 17 Lyon 2; Nice 2 Monaco 3; Toulouse 1 Nantes 2.
Wood, Senior, Molyneux, Craig, Waters (Biggins 65), Ad- 0; Eintracht Frankfurt 1 VfL Bochum 1; Union
May (Charlton) 16 Top 3 P W D L F A Pts
Bristol Rovers: Ward, Wilson (Crama 86), Baggott, Friend elakun (Hurst 75), Ironside. Subs not used: Maxwell, Broad- Morecambe: Mair, Senior, Stokes, Bedeau, Tutonda, Khum- Berlin 1 Wolfsburg 0; Werder Bremen 1 Heid-
enheim 2; Hoffenheim 1 Cologne 1; Stuttgart PSG 21 15 5 1 51 18 50
(Brown 31), Thomas, Conteh (Vaughan 71), Grant (Hoole bent, Jones, Goodman. Booked: Craig. beni (Songo’o 79), Taylor, Brown (Edwards 53), Adams, Nice 21 11 6 4 22 14 39
71), Gordon, Evans, Marquis, Aguilera (Sinclair 86). Subs 3 Mainz 1.
Northampton: Burge (Moulden 46), McGowan (Lintott 36), Tranmere: McGee, O’Connor (Norris 83), Davies, Turnbull, Larsson (Slew 53), Garner (Melbourne 88). Subs not used: Monaco 21 11 5 5 40 30 38
not used: Connolly, Cox. Top 10 P W D L F A Pts
Willis, Guthrie, Brough, Leonard, Gape (Fox 63), Honder- Wood, Apter, Walker (McAlear 63), Hendry, Morris (Hawkes C Smith, A Smith, Harrack. Booked: Edwards, Garner, Sen-
Burton Albion: Crocombe, Hamer, Nsiala (Delap 72), Bray- marck (Springett 77), Bowie, Pinnock, Appere (Simpson 77). 57), Jennings, Jolley (Saunders 57). Subs not used: Murphy, ior, Stokes. B Leverkusen 21 17 4 0 55 14 55 EREDIVISIE
ford, Sweeney, Bola, Gilligan (Harper 79), Powell, Helm Subs not used: Monthe, Abimbola. Yarney, Lewis. Booked: Apter, Davies, Jennings. Sutton Utd: Bouzanis, Kizzi, Goodliffe, Hart, Jackson, B Munich 21 16 2 3 59 22 50 RKC 2 NEC 0; Almere City FC 0 AZ 0; Ex-
(Hackford 72), Bennett, Ola-Adebomi (Hudlin 79). Subs not Bolton: Coleman, Jones, Taylor (Iredale 76), Toal, Sheehan Eastmond, Lakin, Adom-Malaki (Patrick 46), Duke-Mcken- Stuttgart 21 14 1 6 49 27 43 celsior 0 Twente 3; Heracles 3 Vitesse 2;
used: Kamwa, Carayol, Blackman. Booked: Bennett, Bola, (Morley 83), Ramsay (Mendes Gomes 46), Thomason, FOREST GREEN (0)0 MANSFIELD (1) 4 na (Moore 90), Angol (Smith 46), Sanderson (Beautyman B Dortmund 21 11 7 3 43 26 40
RB Leipzig 21 11 4 6 46 28 37
Feyenoord 2 Sparta 0; Go Ahead Eagles 1
Gilligan, Helm. Dempsey, Ashworth, Charles (Jerome 77), Adeboyejo (Col- 46). Subs not used: Sowunmi, John, Arnold. Booked: PEC Zwolle 1; Heerenveen 3 Ajax 2; Utrecht 4
lins 46). Subs not used: Bodvarsson, Maghoma. Booked: Clarke 11, 90 Adom-Malaki, Angol, Hart, Jackson. E Frankfurt 21 8 8 5 31 25 32 Fortuna Sittard 0; Volendam 1 PSV 5.
CAMBRIDGE (0) 0 CHELTENHAM (0)1 Adeboyejo, Jones, Sheehan. Sent-off: Thomason. Nichols 69 Freiburg 21 8 4 9 26 37 28 Top 3 P W D L F A Pts
Swan 78 SWINDON (0) 1 SALFORD (0) 1 Hoffenheim 21 7 6 8 38 40 27 PSV 21 19 2 0 68 10 59
Taylor 65
Att: 7,047
PORT VALE (1) 2 STEVENAGE (0) 2 Att: 2,240 McEachran 82 Hendry 90 Heidenheim 21 7 6 8 30 36 27 Feyenoord 21 15 4 2 55 17 49
Vancooten 6 (og) Reid 52 W Bremen 21 7 5 9 30 34 26 Twente 21 13 5 3 42 21 44
Forest Green: Daniels (Searle 64), Inniss, Keogh, Robson, Att: 8,272
Cambridge Utd: Stevens, L Bennett (Bonne 70), R Bennett Dabo (Jones 73), Osadebe, McCann, Thompson (Bernard
(Rossi 70), Morrison, Andrew, Digby (Thomas 70), Cousins, Ojo 90 (pen) Vancooten 58

Lankester (Brophy 71), Kachunga, KaiKai, Taylor. Subs not
used: May, Mannion, Gibbons. Booked: R Bennett, Cousins,
Thomas.
Cheltenham: Southwood, Smith (Bonds 73), Davies, Shep-
herd, Long, Sercombe (Harrop 90), Pett, Kinsella, Ferry,
Taylor (Nuttall 78), Lloyd. Subs not used: Williams, Keena,
Pardington, Thomas. Booked: Nuttall, Pett, Taylor.
CARLISLE (0) 0 PORTSMOUTH (0) 1
Lane 62
Att: 9,053
Carlisle: Lewis, Back (Grehan 75), Lavelle, Barclay, Robin-
son (Armer 75), Gibson (Charters 76), Vela, Neal (Maguire
76), Mellish, Diamond (Butterworth 56), Armstrong. Subs not
used: McCalmont, Breeze. Booked: Vela.
Portsmouth: Norris, Rafferty, Raggett, Shaughnessy, Ogil-
vie, Lowery, Pack, Peart-Harris (Kamara 57), Lang (Moxon
75), Lane (Sparkes 85), Bishop. Subs not used: Towler,
Macey, Yengi, Martin.
DERBY (0) 1 SHREWSBURY (0) 1
Bird 54 Pierre 87
Att: 27,240
Derby: Wildsmith, Nyambe (Wilson 86), Bradley, Nelson,
Ward (Barkhuizen 46), Adams (Thompson 86), Hourihane,
Bird, Sibley (Elder 74), Mendez-Laing, Collins. Subs not
used: Smith, Loach, Blackett-Taylor. Booked: Adams, Hou-
rihane.
Shrewsbury: Marosi, Feeney, Dunkley, Pierre, Benning,
Winchester, Hinchy (Bennett 74), Shipley (O’Brien 74),
Sobowale (Idowu 74), Udoh (Bowman 80), Bayliss (Perry
80). Subs not used: Sraha, Burgoyne. Booked: Benning,
Pierre, Winchester.
BELGIAN BUM
Swindon: Bycroft, Godwin-Malife, McCarthy, Blake-Tracy,
Att: 5,296 74), McAllister, Stevens (Omotoye 84), Doidge. Subs not Elbouzedi (McKirdy 66), Khan, McEachran, Kokolo, Devoy,
used: Oyedele, Bunker, Brown. Booked: Robson, Thomp-
Port Vale: Ripley, Lopata (Jones 65), Smith, Debrah (Sang Glatzel (Austin 66), Hepburn-Murphy (Drinan 66). Subs not
son. used: Johnson, Brewitt, Cain, Brann. Booked: Glatzel, God-
83), Massey, Ojo, Lowe, Grant, Chislett (Mighten 59), Weir,
Wilson (Dipepa 83). Subs not used: Leutwiler, Shorrock, Mansfield: Pym, Williams (McLaughlin 81), Flint, Brunt, Bow- win-Malife, Khan.
Walters. Booked: Lowe, Mighten, Sang. ery, Maris (Boateng 81), Reed, Clarke, Keillor-Dunn (Quinn Salford City: Cairns, John, Vassell, Tilt, Garbutt (Ingram 71),
73), Nichols (Akins 73), Swan (Lewis 80). Subs not used: McAleny (Lund 60), Watt, Watson (Hendry 60), Luamba
Stevenage: MacGillivray, Wildin, Vancooten, Piergianni,
Guinness-Walker (Roberts 75), N Thompson, Burns (Mac-
Cargill, Flinders. (Morton 60), Smith, N’Mai (Chesters 81). Subs not used: HOW about this
Donald 88), Forster-Caskey (L Thompson 46), Freeman, Ol- Mariappa, Torrance. for a cheeky goal
iver (Hemmings 46), Reid. Subs not used: Ashby-Hammond, GRIMSBY (0) 1 STOCKPORT C (3)3 celebration?
B Thompson. Booked: Butler, Forster-Caskey, MacGillivray, Eisa 52 Sarcevic 9 WALSALL (0) 0 NEWPORT (3) 3 Belgian defender
Piergianni. Olaofe 14
Morris 4 Jelle Bataille, 24, cele-
READING (0) 2 CHARLTON (0) 0 Cass 28
Att: 6,732
Evans 15
Charsley 38
brated Antwerp’s 4-0
Azeez 66, 76 Att: 5,454 win at RWD Molenbeek
Grimsby: Cartwright, Smith, Rodgers, Maher, Hume, Holo-
Reading: Button, Yiadom (Abrefa 88), Salif, Bindon, Mola han (Andrews 46), Thompson (Green 46), Gnahoua (Ver- Walsall: Evans, Okagbue, Daniels, Farquharson, Knowles by showing off a previ-
(Dorsett 60), Wing, Savage (Craig 88), Azeez (Elliott 88), nam 46), Clifton, Eisa (Obikwu 83), Rose. Subs not used: (Smith 89), Hutchinson (Tierney 70), Comley, Stirk (Earing ously-hidden tattoo.
Knibbs, Ehibhatiomhan (Mukairu 78), Smith. Subs not used: Pyke, Eastwood, Mullarkey. Booked: Green, Maher, Smith, 46), L Gordon, J Gordon (Oteh 46), Faal (Matt 82). Subs not It said ‘Den dubbel’
Wareham, Joel Pereira. Booked: Savage. Thompson. used: James-Taylor, Allen. Sent-off: Evans.
— the double — a
Charlton: Isted, Thomas, Jones, Gillesphey (Ed-
monds-Green 46), T Watson, Bakinson, Coventry (Camara
Stockport County: Hinchliffe, Cass, Horsfall, Wright (Byrne
41), Bristow, Lemonheigh-Evans, Camps (Hippolyte 64),
Newport County: Townsend, Baker, Delaney, Clarke,
McLoughlin, Morris (Waite 88), Bennett, Wildig (Charsley
reference to Antwerp’s
79), L Watson (Campbell 80), Edun, May, Ladapo (Kanu Powell (Touray 73), Croasdale, Olaofe (Madden 73), Sarce- 16), Lewis, Evans (Jephcott 79), Palmer-Houlden (Zanzala league and cup clean
67). Subs not used: Maynard-Brewer, Anderson, Ramsay. vic (Bailey 64). Subs not used: Smith, Richards. Booked: 79). Subs not used: Payne, Jameson, Maxted. sweep last season.
Booked: Edun. Camps, Cass, Sarcevic. The Belgian FA could
WIGAN (0) 1 EXETER (1) 2 WREXHAM (0) 0 BRADFORD (0) 1 now decide to butt in
HARROGATE (0) 1 COLCHESTER (0) 0 Cook 90
Kelman 71 Eisa 10 and investigate.
Muldoon 90 Att: 2,706 Att: 12,447 Bataille will be hop-
Aitchison 66
Att: 9,431 Harrogate Town: Belshaw, Abu, Gibson, O’Connor, Foulds, Wrexham: Okonkwo, Barnett (Bolton 70), Hayden, Tozer,
O’Connell, McClean (Mendy 88), Cannon (Jones 81), Ev-
ing he does not end
Cornelius, Dooley, Thomson, Daly, Odoh, Muldoon. Subs
Wigan: Tickle, Hughes, Goode, Chambers, Clare (Kelman not used: Falkingham, Burrell, Sutton, Sivi, Mitchell, March, ans, Lee, Fletcher (Dalby 70), Mullin (Marriott 81). Subs not up on a bum rap —
46), S Smith, Adeeko (Sze 46), Jones (McManaman 80), Bloxham. Booked: O’Connor. used: Howard, Cleworth. and end up looking a
Godo (Humphrys 64), Magennis (J Smith 46), Aasgaard.
Subs not used: Amos, Kerr. Booked: Adeeko, Chambers. Colchester: Goodman, Richardson, Harbottle, Hall, Iando- Bradford: Walker, Tomkinson, Platt, Kelly, Halliday, Gilliead, complete dumb-ass.
lo, McGeehan (Jay 73), Smith, Fevrier (Mingi 70), Chilvers Smallwood, Richards (McDonald 41), Chapman (C Oduor
Exeter: Sinisalo, Sweeney, Diabate, Jules, Niskanen, Carroll (Wilkinson 77), Anderson, Hopper (Akinde 73). Subs not 65 (Stubbs 90)), Kavanagh (Young 65), Cook. Subs not

Pelli wellies Barca

(Woods 89), Cole, Harper, Aitchison (Rankine 80), Harris used: Dallison, Edwards, Hornby. Booked: Goodman, Har- used: Doyle, Smith, Pointon. Booked: Gilliead, Platt, Tom-
LINCOLN CITY (0) 2 FLEETWOOD (1) 1 (Wildschut 79), Eisa (Cox 67). Subs not used: Aimson, Har- bottle, McGeehan. kinson.

House 53
Sorensen 57
Omochere 34
Att: 8,282
tridge, MacDonald. Booked: Harris, Sweeney.

Lincoln City: Jensen, Sorensen, O’Connor, Jackson (Eyo-
ma 75), Roughan, McGrandles, Bishop, Erhahon, Hack-
ett-Fairchild, Taylor (Makama 89), House (Duffy 68). Subs
not used: Wright, Mandroiu, Moylan. Booked: Erhahon,
House, O’Connor.
Fleetwood Town: Lynch, Sarpong-Wiredu, Heneghan,
Campbell (Patterson 61), Broom (Quitirna 61), Lawal,
Kilkenny, Johnston, Omochere (Graydon 46), Stockley,
Coughlan (Holgate 46). Subs not used: Samuels, Lonergan,
McMullan. Booked: Lawal, Stockley. Sent-off: Lawal.
NORTHAMPTN (1) 1 BOLTON (0)
Bowie 2 Gomes 74
Att: 7,593
WYCOMBE (2) 5 PETERBORO’ (0) 2 MK DONS (0) 2 ACCRINGTON (1) 1 PLAYED FRIDAY
Payne 71 Nolan 11
Collins 38 (og) Ajiboye 66
Tomlinson 90
NOTTS CTY (1) 1 GILLINGHAM (2) 3 FACUNDO PELLISTRI scored his first goal for
Grimmer 45 Jade-Jones 69
Sadlier 57 Att: 4,800 Milton Keynes Dons: Marschall, Lewington (Norman 88), Crowley 13 Hawkins 19 Granada in a 3-3 thriller at Barcelona.
Bilokapic 74 (og) Williams, Harvie, Payne, Bate, Robson (Wearne 63), Tom- Clark 35 The on-loan Manchester United winger netted on
Wheeler 90 linson, Lofthouse (Tezgel 88), Gilbey, Kemp (Harrison 63). Masterson 53 his second LaLiga appearance as Barca slipped TEN
Subs not used: Dennis, Kelly, Tripp. Booked: Payne. Att: 10,347 POINTS behind leaders Real Madrid.
Wycombe: Stryjek, Grimmer (Lonwijk 56), Low, Tafazolli, Notts County: Stone, Warner, Baldwin, Cameron, Nemane, Wonderkid Lamine Yamal, 16, scored the opener
Vincent-Young, Potts, Butcher, McCleary (Wheeler 88), Accrington Stanley: Vitek, O’Brien, Hills, Rich-Baghuelou
Taylor (Leahy 89), Sadlier (Vokes 73), Kone (Lubala 56). (Pickles 25), Gubbins, Martin (Henderson 64), B Woods, J Bostock (Austin 67), Robertson (O’Brien 79), Jones, Crow- and an 81st-minute leveller for Barca, with Robert
Woods, Leigh, Nolan, Bickerstaff (Conneely 46). Subs not ley, McGoldrick, Langstaff. Subs not used: Rawlinson, Ma- Lewandowski also on target for the hosts.
Subs not used: Campbell, Ravizzoli. Booked: Lubala, Potts.
used: Mellor, Quirk, Adekoya, McIntyre. Booked: Conneely, hovo , Morias, Macari, Ashby-Hammond. Booked: Bostock, Uruguay international Pellistri teed up Ricard
Peterborough: Bilokapic, Knight, Edwards, Crichlow-Noble Gubbins, Martin, Nolan, O’Brien, J Woods. McGoldrick.
1 (Katongo 59), Ajiboye, Kyprianou, Collins (Aderoju 87), Bur- Gillingham: Turner, Hutton, Masterson, Ehmer, Ogie, Clark, Sanchez to level at 1-1 then fired Granada ahead.
rows, Randall (De Havilland 46), Jade-Jones, Clarke-Harris MORECAMBE (1) 1 SUTTON (0) 0
Dieng, Coleman, Williams (McKenzie 79), Walker (Lapslie Lewandowski made it 2-2 before former Arsenal
(Mothersille 59). Subs not used: Fernandez, Steer, Mills. 72), Hawkins (Cabezas 86). Subs not used: Morris, defender Ignasi Miquel looked to have won it for the
Booked: Aderoju. Garner 4 Att: 4,045 Nadesan, Malone. visitors — only for Lamal to smash in from 25 yards.
SCOTS CORNER

THE PITCHING IN ISTHMIAN PREMIER THE PITCHING IN SOUTHERN PREMIER THE PITCHING IN SOUTHERN PREMIER CINCH PREMIERSHIP KILMARNCK (1) 2 COVE (0) 0 CINCH CHAMPIONSHIP P W D L F A Pts
Pts P W D L F A Pts SOUTH CENTRAL DUNDEE (0) 2 ST JOHNSTNE (1)1 Watkins 45 Att: 4,407 DUNFERMLNE 0 QUEEN’S PRK 3 Falkirk 22 17 5 0 56 13 56
Hornchurch 28 20 7 1 68 23 67 P W D L F A Pts P W D L F A Pts McCowan 75 (pen) M Smith 9 Armstrong 81 Hamilton 23 14 6 3 48 17 48
Turner 66
Chatham Tn 30 18 4 8 61 43 58 Chesham Utd 29 21 4 4 63 30 67 Mickleover 29 18 5 6 58 32 59 McGhee 89 Att: 7,102 PARTICK (1) 2 LIVINGSTON (0) 3 Cove Rangers 23 9 7 7 38 33 34
Thomas 75
Billericay 29 17 3 9 49 25 54 Salisbury FC 30 18 6 6 53 33 60 Redditch Utd 30 17 6 7 52 38 57 Montrose 23 9 6 8 35 32 33
P W D L F A Pts McInroy 27 Nouble 66, 82 Carse 90
Wingate & F 29 16 3 10 56 50 51 Gosport Boro 28 16 6 6 53 29 54 Needham Mkt 26 17 5 4 51 21 56 Celtic 25 19 4 2 57 17 61 Alloa 22 9 5 8 29 35 32
Fitzpatrick 61 Yengi 120 Att: 4,433
Merthyr Town 30 16 3 11 64 44 51 AFC Telford 29 14 10 5 45 25 52 Rangers 24 19 1 4 50 12 58 Kelty Hearts 22 7 7 8 30 33 28
Hastings Utd 30 14 6 10 54 42 48 Att: 3,843 P W D L F A Pts
AFC Totton 27 12 10 5 56 35 46 Leamington 29 14 10 5 45 26 52 Hearts 25 15 3 7 33 22 48 Queen of Sth 24 8 4 12 30 36 28
Enfield Town 28 14 6 8 54 43 48 AET: Score after 90 mins 2-2.
Walton & Hers 29 13 6 10 54 48 45 Stratford Tn 28 15 4 9 52 44 49 Dundee Utd 22 14 6 2 45 11 48 Stirling 23 7 5 11 23 37 26
Bognor Regis 28 12 10 6 46 36 46 Kilmarnock 25 9 9 7 28 26 36 RANGERS (1) 2 AYR (0) 0
Bracknell 30 14 3 13 56 51 45 Stamford 28 12 10 6 58 44 46 St Mirren 25 10 5 10 29 29 35 Raith 22 13 5 4 40 31 44 Annan Ath 23 4 7 12 32 47 19
Carshalton Ath 30 12 8 10 56 46 44 Barisic 10 Att: 43,454 Edinburgh 23 2 4 17 27 65 4
Hungerford Tn 30 12 9 9 59 55 45 St Ives Tn 29 13 3 13 58 43 42 Dundee 24 7 8 9 33 39 29 Partick 22 10 7 5 43 34 37
Lewes 28 13 5 10 47 49 44 Silva 76
Hendon 28 10 9 9 49 46 39 Barwell 31 10 1110 49 48 41 Hibernian 24 6 8 10 29 39 26 Morton 22 9 5 8 32 27 32 CINCH LEAGUE TWO - Dumbarton 2 Forfar
Horsham 25 12 7 6 33 27 43 Played Yesterday
Winchester 28 10 9 9 46 49 39 Halesowen 28 11 7 10 40 37 40 Motherwell 24 5 10 9 32 36 25 Airdrieonians 21 8 4 9 20 24 28 2, East Fife 1 Stenhousemuir 1, Spartans 1
Dulwich 29 11 9 9 56 48 42
Poole Town 26 12 2 12 55 47 38 Leiston 27 11 7 9 41 40 40 Aberdeen 23 6 7 10 26 36 25 AIRDRIE (1) 1 HEARTS (3) 4 Queen’s Park 23 7 5 11 31 41 26 Elgin 2, Stranraer 2 Clyde 0.
Hashtag Utd 30 10 1010 50 53 40
Sholing 29 10 7 12 34 41 37 Royston Tn 29 11 6 12 39 44 39 St Johnstone 25 5 9 11 17 32 24 Frizzell 34 Shankland 11, 73 Ayr 23 7 5 11 30 41 26 P W D L F A Pts
Canvey Island 27 12 2 13 43 53 38 Basingstoke 31 10 7 14 55 69 37 Hitchin Tn 31 11 5 15 47 50 38 Ross County 23 4 7 12 19 38 19 Vargas 18 Inverness 23 6 6 11 26 28 24 Stenh’muir 24 17 5 2 41 16 56
Potters Bar Tn 26 9 7 10 40 43 34 Hayes & Yead 29 9 9 11 48 47 36 Coalville Tn 26 10 5 11 56 46 35 Livingston 25 2 7 16 15 42 13 Nieuwenhof 21 Dunfermline 22 6 6 10 24 32 24 Peterhead 23 12 4 7 38 25 40
Whitehawk 26 8 9 9 37 39 33 Hanwell Town 28 8 9 11 48 54 33 Alvechurch 29 9 8 12 38 50 35
SCOTTISH CUP FIFTH ROUND ST MIRREN (0) 0 CELTIC (1) 2 Arbroath 22 5 3 14 23 45 18 Spartans 22 10 6 6 36 25 36
Cray W 28 8 9 11 34 43 33 Beaconsfield 30 8 8 14 46 56 32 Stourbridge 26 10 4 12 39 35 34 Dumbarton 22 10 5 7 37 27 35
Folkestone Inv 29 8 8 13 40 49 32 ABERDEEN (2) 2 BONNYRIGG (0) 0 Furuhashi 15 CINCH LEAGUE ONE
Plymouth Pky 23 8 7 8 39 33 31 Nuneaton Boro 24 10 4 10 33 39 34 Bonnyrigg 22 7 7 8 31 30 28
Cheshunt 27 6 5 16 36 50 23 Miovski 17, 25 Att: 11,470 Maeda 53 ALLOA (0) 1 STIRLING (0) 0
Swindon Super 30 8 7 15 51 73 31 Bromsgrove Sp 30 8 7 15 32 41 31 Elgin 24 8 3 13 21 41 27
Margate 29 5 7 17 30 55 22 Tiverton Town 28 7 9 12 46 55 30 AFC Sudbury 29 7 8 14 38 44 29 INVERNESS (0) 1 HIBERNIAN (0) 3 Played Friday East Fife 24 6 8 10 29 32 26
MONTROSE (3) 3 EDINBURGH C (0)0
Concord Rgrs 23 4 6 13 22 43 18 Dorchester Tn 28 8 6 14 39 55 30 Kettering 28 7 6 15 35 60 27 Doran 90 Maolida 55 MORTON (1) 2 MOTHERWELL (0) 1 Stranraer 23 7 5 11 26 39 26
Haringey Boro 29 3 9 17 25 55 18 Harrow Boro 29 5 7 17 37 66 22 Berkhamsted 29 2 9 18 22 65 15 Boyle 79 Paton 35 (og) Vale 85 HAMILTON (0) 2 ANNAN ATH (1) 3 Forfar 23 5 10 8 23 28 25
Kingstonian 26 3 4 19 37 59 13 Didcot Town 28 4 7 17 31 66 19 Long Eaton 29 4 2 23 26 82 14 Att: 3,837 Youan 89 Oakley 55 Att: 5,167 KELTY (0) 0 QN OF STH (0) 0 Clyde 23 2 9 12 25 44 15
20 ............... Monday, February 12, 2024

WOMEN’S FA CUP
in association with

5TH ROUND
RESULTS Arsenal......................0
ARSENAL (0) 0 MAN CITY (0)
Aleixandri 74
1 Manchester City.....1
CHELSEA (0) 1 CRYSTAL PAL (0) 0
Ramirez 81 By SANDRA BROBBEY
LONDON CITY (0) 0 LIVERPOOL (1) 2
Haug 6 GARETH TAYLOR hailed
Lawley 67 Khiara Keating after the
N FOREST (0)
Greengrass 47
1 EVERTON (1)
Kuhl 23, Piemonte 33
7
Manchester City keeper
Vanhaevermaet 52 silenced her critics. RAMIREZ . . . off the mark
Keating faced some brutal

Mayra on
Batty 73 (og)
Bissell 84, Duggan 88 barracking from Arsenal fans
Bennison 90 during City’s FA Cup fifth-
SOUTHAMPTN (0) 1 MAN UTD (1) 3 round victory.
Lloyd-Smith 65 Toone 8 Chants of “You’re just a s**t

a mission
Williams 74, 82
WOLVES (0) 1 BRIGHTON (1) 4
Ellie Roebuck”, rang out at
Merrick 67 (pen) Robinson 42
the Boreham Wood ground
Kullberg 88, 90, 90 where Keating’s error last
November helped the Gunners

FAITH
Played Saturday
beat City 2-1 in the league. LINE CALL . . . Keating just about keeps the ball out of the
LEICESTER (3) 6 BIRMINGHAM (2) 2 MAYRA RAMIREZ bagged

T
City net while (right) Aleixandri celebrates her winning goal

A
But the 19-year-old’s shot-

E
Cayman 19 Goodwin 2 (og) her first Chelsea goal as

K
O’Brien 23, 42 Smith 41 stopping masterclass — in
Takarada 59 they edged past Crystal
Rose 66, Whelan 82 Palace into the last
TOTTENHAM 1 CHARLTON 0 eight of the FA Cup.

HE
The British-record

T
Graham 76
£385,000 January
signing hit the only
goal on 81 minutes.
Emma Kullberg
netted a late hat-
trick as Brighton
beat Wolves 4-1.

Khiara silences Gunners fans

front of the watching England
boss Sarina Wiegman — Rachel Williams’ second-
wrecked Arsenal hopes of
reaching the quarter-finals.
City chief Taylor said:
“Arsenal make it a cauldron
but she handled it really well.
“The fans do get behind
them and they don’t stop.
“But their attentions turned
ON TARGET . . . Ella Toone
elsewhere after a while with
Khiara, which shows you she
was doing something right.”
Both sides struggled to find
a cutting edge in the early
stages but Keating saved well
from Arsenal’s Caitlin Foord
in the 13th minute.
City saw pleas for a penalty
waved away after Khadija
Shaw appeared to be caught
by Lotte Wubben-Moy’s elbow
during an aerial duel.
The deadlock was broken in
the 75th minute when Spanish
defender Laia Aleixandri
poked City into the lead from
Chloe Kelly’s free-kick.
City faced a late barrage
with Keating keeping out
Victoria Pelova’s goalbound
header and Kim Little’s volley.
But Arsenal thought they had
a late equaliser after Keating
appeared to fumble a catch
following a corner.
Gunners boss Jonas Eidevall
said: “Is the ball over the
line? Is it not over the line?
“That’s how fine the mar-
gins are. We’re gutted because
we were on the wrong side of
every margin.”
The game looked
set for extra-time
until Kullberg put
Brighton 2-1 up in the
88th minute. She added
two more in injury time.
half double gave her
Manchester United side a
3-1 win at Southampton.
Everton beat Nottingham
Forest 7-1, with Kathrine
Kuhl opening the scoring.
Sophie Roman Haug and
Melissa Lawley were on
target as Liverpool beat
London City Lionesses 2-0.