Reading sign Cambridge keeper Stevens
During his time at Oxford United, Stevens made 74 appearances and at Cambridge he played 52 times, keeping 13 clean sheets. "We're delighted to sign a keeper of Jack's stature and calibre to the club," first-team boss Noel Hunt said."He's someone who goalkeeping coach Rob [Shay] has known for many years, and has a great pedigree in this division."As a person, he is exactly the type of character we want around the dressing room, and I'm really looking forward to working with him."
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Metro
14 minutes ago
- Metro
England hero Chloe Kelly criticised for 'cocky gesture' during Euro 2025 final
England hero Chloe Kelly has been accused of making a 'cocky gesture' at the end of the dramatic Euro 2025 final penalty shootout against Spain. Arsenal forward Kelly struck England's winning penalty in Basel after the final finished 1-1 after extra-time. Pre-tournament favourites Spain took the lead midway through the first half through Mariona Caldentey but Alessia Russo equalised for the Lionesses just before the hour mark. England withstood plenty of Spain pressure in extra-time before winning the shootout 3-1, goalkeeper Hannah Hampton making two superb saves. Kelly scored the winner in the Euro 2022 final win and was England's hero again as she blasted her spot-kick past the helpless Cata Coll, who had saved two previous penalties. It was at that moment that Kelly made a 'cocky gesture', according to sections of the Spanish press, as she wheeled away in celebration in front of Coll. Kelly initially went to sprint to her right – in the opposite direction of the diving Coll – before quickly changing direction and running in front of the Spain goalkeeper. Coll gestured angrily at Kelly as she ran past but the England star paid little notice and was soon celebrating back-to-back European titles with her teammates. Kelly appeared to be focused on the celebrating England fans inside St Jakob-Park rather than her opponent but Spanish outlet AS nonetheless said it was a 'cocky' and 'unnecessary gesture'. 'This is unnecessary, my friend,' they wrote. 'Chloe Kelly's cocky gesture to Cata Coll after scoring the decisive penalty. 'The England specialist changed her run during her penalty celebration to get past the goalkeeper she had just beaten.' In a separate article, AS claimed Spain had been 'robbed' after losing a final they if not dominated at least were in control of for large periods. 'The dream ends in a nightmare,' one piece said. 'Spain lost the European Championship on penalties. England tied a match that Spain largely dominated. 'History is made by victories, and also by defeats. Spain fell in the Euro Cup final but left its name sealed in gold. England robbed them of their dream; the world champions couldn't close the circle they began to write two years ago in Sydney. 'They couldn't have been crueller in the penalty shootout, tossing a few dice in the air.' A separate piece from the Spanish outlet, which accused England of playing for penalties, added: 'England had been eliminated three times. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'But they must have been using Houdini's secret manual of tricks to take home the trophy. Congratulations. 'The English embraced penalties like happy castaways, and it showed.' Spain manager Montse Tome was fairly magnanimous following her side's heartbreaking defeat and insisted she was 'proud' of the World Cup holders. 'It's a final and we are sad because we weren't able to win,' he said. 'I think the effort from all of the players was very good. 'They tried until the very end to try to win but then we arrived at a penalty shootout and we weren't able to do it. I thought overall we were very good on the ball. More Trending 'They are a team that play a lot on the second balls and they managed to hurt us a bit in these situations. 'I think in extra time we got the momentum back, got on the ball and were able to attack, but we were not able to avoid a penalty shootout and in the end we were not able to do that better. 'Now we have a strange feeling because we wanted to win so much. You have it so close and you are not able to do it. 'But I am always proud of the effort of the team and the staff that has been really positive. Now we have to stop and relax, and that is what I'm going to do.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Joey Barton branded 'bitter and twisted' after vile posts about England's Euro 2025 win MORE: 7 films celebrating women in sport after the Lionesses win Euro 2025 MORE: 'If that's not a sign…' – Ella Toone shares poignant tribute to 'angel' dad after Euro 2025 win
The Independent
14 minutes ago
- The Independent
Why do men like Jeremy Clarkson get so upset at women playing football?
The old dinosaur Jeremy Clarkson claims he likes women's football. In fact, he wrote a column about it for The Sunday Times, saying he found the Lionesses' Euros final 'exciting'. Great! Progress, right? Well… not quite. Because in the very same breath, he compares that excitement to what he imagines he'd feel watching cow racing in Sri Lanka. Yes, really. His exact words: ' It was exciting – in the same way that I'd be excited if I were in Sri Lanka and the locals invited me to watch some cow racing.' It's a thinly veiled pat on the head – the kind of backhanded compliment women in sport have heard for decades. Clarkson's message is clear: well done, ladies – that was 120 minutes of fun, in a novelty sort of way. Not real football, of course. Just a quirky spectacle for a Sunday afternoon. And that, right there, is the problem. Because even when some men say they like women's football, it's often delivered with a side of snark, scepticism or condescension. It's not quite "real". It's not quite worthy. It's the football equivalent of a try-hard indie band – enjoyable, but let's not pretend it deserves top billing. That mindset – whether shouted from comment sections of newspapers or whispered into broadsheet columns – is why women's football continues to be met with hostility. And it's going to take far more than England's back-to-back Euros win, a Downing Street visit and a street parade through the capital to convince men like Clarkson that women's football is worthy of their attention. What are they waiting for – a Bank Holiday in the Lionesses' honour? Nothing has stirred more bizarre, irrational rage in recent years than women playing football. Not climate change, not taxes, not even unfixed potholes. No – it's women daring to lace up their boots and play the same sport men have dominated for over a century. The horror! Now, don't get me wrong. I'm well aware there are thousands of men who have supported the Lionesses wholeheartedly through the Euros and through the trials and triumphs of women's football. Those men exist. In fact, I live with two of them. But what's also been impossible to ignore is the other group – a loud, seething contingent who foam at the mouth every time women's football gets airtime. Let's be honest. Some of these men don't just dislike women's football – they absolutely hate it. Viscerally and irrationally. As though women simply kicking a ball poses a threat to their very identity. Take Graham (real name, I believe), a caller I heard on LBC just the other day. He proudly declared – without a hint of irony – that he 'can't stand' women's football. Not just that he doesn't enjoy it. Not just that it's not his thing. No, Graham hates it. He can't watch it. He repeated several times that he can't bear it being 'shoved down our throats'. Shoved down our throats? Remind me… has there ever been a sport more relentlessly marketed, broadcast and worshipped than men's football? We've had 24/7 coverage for decades, wall-to-wall analysis of Premier League games, live transfer updates (snore) that border on obsession. Somehow, that's just normal. But when the BBC dares to air a Lionesses match? Now it's an outrage. Another gem came from a man I came across on a well-known sports account on Instagram who insisted women's football 'isn't the same sport' as men's. It's not as fast, not as powerful. Therefore, in his eyes, it's a different game entirely. Let's unpack that for a second. Two teams. Eleven players per side. A ball. A pitch. A goal at each end. A ref. Sounds like football to me. The only real difference? Some of the players have penises and some don't. That's not a different sport. That's just biology. By this logic, does he tell his son – who maybe plays under-12s on a soggy Sunday morning – that his football isn't real football because it lacks the speed and precision of the Champions League? Does he pat the kid on the head and say, 'Sorry son, it's just not the same sport'? Unlikely. The moment you challenge these men, even gently, the reaction is instant and vicious. I dared to comment on one of these videos, pointing out the obvious: it is the same sport. Cue the backlash. Within seconds, I saw replies accusing me of 'rage bait', clown emojis and insults I won't repeat here. The vitriol is astonishing – and sadly familiar, if you've ever spoken up for women's sport. But it begs the question: why does women's football cause such a meltdown in some men? Why this sport in particular? Why not women's tennis, where the stars earn millions and fill arenas? Why not rugby or cricket? Why this obsessive need to gatekeep football? The answer is as uncomfortable as it is obvious: misogyny. It's pure, deep-seated and often subconscious. Men's football is one of the last cultural arenas where some men feel untouchable. It's 'theirs'. The pub, the banter, the tribalism. And it seems when women enter that space (and excel in it), it rattles them to their core. Here's the real kicker: the England Lionesses aren't just playing football. They're winning. They're one of the most successful England teams this country has ever produced. While the men's team continues to serve us heartbreak, hype and penalty shootout trauma, the Lionesses deliver us trophies and finals and pride. At last! And it's not just what happens on the pitch. Off the field, the women are widely seen as more approachable, less egotistical and, frankly, better role models. They play as a team. They show humility. They connect with fans in a way that's rare in the era of £100k-a-week Instagram stars. That success – both in results and in values – should be a source of national pride. But instead, a portion of the male population would rather die on the hill of 'it's just not the same' than cheer on the best England football team we've got. Before I get accused of having no facts to back up my point – let's talk numbers for a minute. The Lionesses won the 2022 European Championship, something the men haven't done. They've reached the World Cup finals. Their matches have sold out stadiums. They've inspired millions of young girls – and plenty of boys – to take up the sport. If you're still arguing they don't deserve the spotlight, then sorry, but you've left logic behind. It's a sad day when a country finally gets to be world-class at something… and a significant chunk of its population responds by crossing its arms and pouting. Here's the truth: no one's asking you to like every pass or admire every tackle. But if you hate it – if it genuinely makes you angry to see women succeeding in sport – then maybe the problem isn't the football. Maybe the problem is you.
The Independent
14 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ella Toone and Beth Mead share moving tributes after Euro 2025 win
Ella Toone dedicated England 's Euro 2025 victory to her late father, Nick, marking her first trophy since his passing last September. Following England's shootout win against Spain, an emotional Toone looked skyward and was comforted by teammates. She later shared on Instagram that a spare seat next to her mother at the final felt like a sign her father was watching. Toone also shared a poignant moment with Beth Mead, who lost her mother 18 months ago, dedicating their win to 'our angels in the sky'. Toone and Mead have shared a special bond during the tournament by supporting each other through grief and posed with their Euro 2025 medals.
