Wagner outdoes the Open champion from 8th bunker
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Forward thinking from Rams on eve of new season
Ramsbottom United are thrilled to announce that ex-professional forward Jamie Proctor has joined the club ahead of the start of our 2025/26 campaign, writes Steve Tinniswood. With an EFL career spanning 14 years, Preston-born Proctor came through the academy of his home-town club before earning his first professional contract at Deepdale midway though the 2009/10 season. A transfer to Swansea City in 2012 was followed by moves to Crawley Town, Fleetwood Town and Bradford City, making nearly 160 appearances for the three clubs, scoring 32 goals. The 2016/17 season was split between Bolton Wanderers and a loan period at Carlisle United before moving to Rotherham United. Although his debut season was cut short in August after a serious knee injury, The Millers won promotion which brought a return to the Championship for Proctor for the first time since his early days at PNE. After making 18 appearances in that 2018/19 season, scoring 4 goals, a period of loan moves followed with the likes of Scunthorpe United, AFC Flyde, Newport County and Wigan Athletic all enjoying the services of the 6'2″ striker. A move to Port Vale in July 2021 was initially fragmented by various injuries but a Di Canio-esque scissor kick against Sutton United earned Jamie the Goal of the Season award as Vale went on to secure promotion via the play-offs at Wembley Stadium. Unfortunately more injury woes curtailed his appearances in the 2022/23 season and a move to Barrow followed. Jamie retired from professional football at the end of the 2023/24 season having made 27 appearances for the League Two side. Last season was spent in the National League North with Southport where Jamie made 35 appearances for Haig Avenue outfit, finding the net 3 times. Talking ahead of our visit to Garstang on Saturday, where Rams fans can expect to get their first look at Jamie in action, Manager Steve Wilkes was understandably delighted with his latest acquisition. 'To get a signing like Jamie Proctor over the line just shows how ambitious the club is,' said Wilkes. 'He'll bring a wealth of experience with him and hopefully a lot of goals as well. 'He's fitted in well with the lads and we just need to get him up to speed fitness wise and we know we'll have one of the best centre forwards at our level.' Jamie was also looking forward to getting started at the HWRS: 'Once I talked to Wilkesy and Teaguey and heard about the club, I knew it would be a great place to come and play football,' said Proctor. 'I live local and it fits perfectly around what else I do. I've known Rob & Teaguey for years so it was an easy decision to come in and enjoy some football again.' Rammy have also signed Nick Hepple who you'll have noticed was in the squad for yesterday's friendly win at Garstang. The 33 year old forward joins us after spells at Witton Albion and Chadderton last season as Manager Steve Wilkes makes his final preparations ahead of next weekend's curtain raiser against Atherton LR. "Nick's another good addition to the squad who is experienced at this level and above," said Wilkes. "He will bring a different quality to what we already have, he knows where the back of the net is and I'm really looking forward to working with him." After making an appearance in the second half yesterday, Blackburn-born Hepple talked about what the Rams fans can expect during the season ahead. "All I can say is I'm happy to join a club that's pushing to climb the league and help get promotion and be a part of a team full of winners," explained Hepple. "What you will see from me is hunger and goals! You'll get 110 per cent week in week out!"
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Cifuentes wants 'fearless' football from Leicester
New boss Marti Cifuentes says he wants Leicester City playing "fearless" football once more as he tries to return the club to the Premier League at the first attempt. The 43-year-old Spaniard has spent much of his first week at the helm of the Foxes bunkered down with his players in Austria on their pre-season camp. The former Queens Park Rangers head coach described it as "intense but useful days" together as he attempts to quickly get the Foxes up to speed with his philosophy and approach to the game with less than three weeks remaining until the Championship season kicks off. With Leicester winning promotion in 2024 under Enzo Maresca with a high-press and heavy-possession approach, Cifuentes says many of his ideas are already well known at the club. And it goes beyond that, with Cifuentes quick to play on Leicester's reputation for the swashbuckling way they overcame the odds to win the Premier League title in 2016. "There is this foundation from some years ago about the way of playing that feeds very well into my ideas," Cifuentes told BBC Radio Leicester from their training base in the town of Stegersbach, Austria. "There is a talented squad, a lot of quality players that feed well into how I see and understand football. "I really want them to enjoy how we play to this fearless style that I read a lot about this club. "I do believe in a certain way of playing football, and we need to be very strong on those areas to build an identity that is aligned with the history of the club." Listen to the full Cifuentes interview Ex-QPR boss Cifuentes appointed Leicester manager 'Cifuentes will need a magic wand' Cifuentes says it is "very clear" that getting to the Premier League "as soon as possible" is the job he has been brought in to do at the King Power Stadium. But as a manager whose work at youth level and insistence on promoting young talent brought him to the attention of Leicester's hierarchy, the Spaniard has spoken of an eagerness to find a balance of short-term and long-term success. "I'm aware of the expectations and I think that's the way it should be," he said. "I'm also very aware that it's not going to be easy, so we need to build a foundation and an identity that can sustain that over time. "I know how tough sometimes it can be after relegation, but I want to bring them this love of the game that they enjoy." Cifuentes came in as Ruud van Nistelrooy's replacement, with the Dutchman in charge as Leicester finished third from bottom and 13 points from safety in the Premier League last season. The drop consigned the 2021 FA Cup winners to a second season in the Championship in three years. Leicester's previous success of 2024, when they went up as second-tier title winners, is not something that Cifuentes will be "taking for granted" in what he calls "a beast" of a league. "This team did really well under Enzo and a lot of players that are still here, and obviously that sets a reference point," he said. "But the reality is that in football every season and every game is different, so we have to approach the season in a very humble way. We cannot expect that it will be a walk in the park and that it will be easy to reach 97 or 100 points." What points tally Leicester manage under Cifuentes also depends of what comes from the charges the club faces over allegedly breaching the English Football League's financial rules when they won the Championship just over a year ago. That charge, as well as the club's need to try and balance the books in an effort to avoid profit and sustainability rule breaches, is expected to impact how Cifuentes shapes his squad in the coming weeks. He would not comment on what business might need to be done during the summer transfer window, but he said he wants to work with a smaller squad and that it would be "trimmed" before the campaign begins. "What is clear is that I will not speculate much about things that are not 100% clear," Cifuentes said. "What is sure is that me, the club, with Jon [director or football Jon Rudkin] and the ownership, we have good conversations about possible scenarios and I'm fully aware of the situation." Latest Leicester news, analysis and fan views
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Stefanos Tsitsipas parts ways with tennis coach Goran Ivanisevic after brief stint
ATHENS (AP) — Stefanos Tsitsipas has parted ways with coach Goran Ivanisevic after a brief stint together, the former third-ranked player said. 'Working with Goran Ivanisevic was brief but an intense experience and a truly valuable chapter in my journey,' the Greek star Tsitsipas wrote in a statement posted on Instagram. 'I'm thankful for the time, effort and energy he dedicated to me and my team.' Tsitsipas, a two-time Grand Slam finalist who fell out of the top 20 in June, started working with 2001 Wimbledon champion Ivanisevic after his second-round loss at the French Open in late May. Ivanisevic coached the 26-year-old Greek player at Halle and Wimbledon, where he retired due to a back injury during his opening match, trailing by two sets to love against Frenchman Valentin Royer. 'As we are now following our separate ways, I have only respect for Goran — not just for what he's achieved in tennis, but also for who he is as a person,' Tsitsipas said. 'I wish him nothing but the very best moving forward.' Tsitsipas is next scheduled to play in Toronto from Sunday. ___ More AP tennis:
