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Oldham Athletic v Southend United: National League playoff final

Oldham Athletic v Southend United: National League playoff final

The Guardian01-06-2025

Update:
Date: 2025-06-01T13:06:04.000Z
Title: Team news
Content: Oldham Athletic starting line-up: Matthew Hudson, Reagan Ogle, Mark Kitching, Tom Pett, Manny Monthé, Mike Fondop, Joe Garner, Charlie Raglan (C), Corry Evans, Vimal Yoganathan, Joe Pritchard. Substitutes: Tom Donaghy, Shaun Hobson, Tom Conlan, Jordan Rossiter, Jesurun Uchegbulam, Kian Harratt, James Norwood.
Southend United starting line-up: Nick Hayes, Gus Scott-Morriss, Nathan Ralph (C), Jack Bridge, Noor Husin, Harry Taylor, Cav Miley, Ben Goodliffe, Tom Hopper, Keenan Appiah-Forson, Charley Kendall. Substitutes: Nathan Harness, George Wind, Macauley Bonne, Josh Walker, Joe Gubbins, Leon Chambers-Parillon, Oli Coker.
Update:
Date: 2025-06-01T13:00:14.000Z
Title: Preamble
Content: Oldham and Southend are 90 minutes away from returning to the Football League. It would be an incredible achievement for either club, having both come back from the brink. In recent years the clubs' very existence has been threatened, so to be at Wembley is a huge achievement.
The Latics breezed through the playoffs, winning their two matches against Halifax and York by a combined score of 7-0. They have found form at the right time and possess a lot of experience among their ranks. From Charlie Raglan to James Norwood, there is no shortage of quality in the squad, not to mention young loanee Vimal Yoganathan.
Southend, on the other hand, snook into the final playoff spot, proceeding to require extra-time to eliminate Rochdale and a penalty shootout at Forest Green. Things have not been easy for the Shrimpers but they are used to doing things the hard way and it should put them in good stead for this game.
Let's hope for a cracker.
Kick-off: 3pm BST.

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Formula 4 featuring at Silverstone British Grand Prix weekend
Formula 4 featuring at Silverstone British Grand Prix weekend

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Formula 4 featuring at Silverstone British Grand Prix weekend

Motorsport history will be made at this year's British Grand Prix when four different classifications of formula racing compete at the same event for the first Circuit will host Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3 and Formula 4, as part of F1's 75th anniversary Northamptonshire track is expected to host about 480,000 people from 3 to 6 Stott, from Silverstone-based Hitech which runs teams in F2, F3 and F4, said the addition of F4 to the event schedule was a "milestone moment" for its young drivers. "This event will provide an incredible stage for them to showcase their talent in front of hundreds of thousands of fans, and the Formula 1 teams they hope to go on to race for," he F4 British Championship, which held its inaugural season in 2015, has been a training ground for a number of drivers who have gone on to race in F1, including current McLaren team-mates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.F4's Silverstone appearance will be a non-points scoring round for its 2025 Championship and will consist of two 25-minute plus one-lap races, with track action taking place across Friday, Saturday and added: "While there are no points at stake for this event, I am sure they [our drivers] will be looking to shine on the F1 stage and make the most of this very special opportunity." Eve Lake-Grange, British F4 Championship manager, said: "To have the opportunity to compete on the support bill of Formula 1 at the British Grand Prix is something that we've been working towards for a long time, so we are delighted to have been able to now make it happen."We pride ourselves on being the first step on the pathway to Formula 1, and for our drivers to be able to see the potential career roadmap that is ahead of them – on the same weekend that they are competing – will be both special and inspiring." What is Formula 4? Formula 4 serves as an entry-level series for drivers transitioning from British F4 Championship is open to drivers aged 15 and over and offers a training ground for aspiring F1 drivers to adapt to the higher speeds, aerodynamics and handling of open-wheel in the category are designed with a far less technical specification when compared with higher formula categories, with the intention of making them more accessible and cost-effective for both drivers and teams.F4 cars can reach a top speed of about 150mph (240km/h), while F1 cars race at up to 230mph (370km/h). Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

Billie Jean King interview: Wimbledon should change tradition – no all-white kit and names on shirts
Billie Jean King interview: Wimbledon should change tradition – no all-white kit and names on shirts

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timean hour ago

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Billie Jean King interview: Wimbledon should change tradition – no all-white kit and names on shirts

From the top floor of a London hotel, Billie Jean King scans the city skyline through her fuchsia spectacles with the air of a businesswoman perfecting a sales pitch. While most octogenarians are doing crosswords or busying themselves with a spot of gardening, King, who turns 82 in November and has spent her life serving up answers to advance women's sport, is on a never-ending mission to exercise her influence. She has just finished delivering a speech about leadership – sharing a stage with one of the world's most powerful women, Melinda French Gates, at a women's sport summit – days out from her favourite time of the year: Wimbledon. Ever since powering to her maiden Wimbledon title in the doubles as a 17-year-old in 1961 – the first of 20 titles she won at SW19 across singles and doubles – King has returned every summer to the All England Club. 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Never one simply to cheer-lead, King insists it is impossible to champion women's sport – the global revenues of which Deloitte predicts will surpass £1.82 billion this year – without recognising its commercial viability. 'Women athletes sometimes say: 'We deserve more. We deserve this.' I'm like, 'Did they make money this year?' If they haven't, why do you think you deserve more? I want athletes to know the business side of it. When an athlete asks me: 'What do I do?' I say: 'Understand the business you're in. If the budget isn't going well, guess where my prize money is going to go? Back into the budget.' That's really understanding the business.' Half an hour in King's company is an intense experience. Other than sport, there is no linear thread to our conversation, which meanders from the PE diet British schoolchildren are fed during summer ('You have rounders – do you pitch underarm for that?') to the biweekly hit-about she has with her wife and business partner, Ilana Kloss, to stay in shape, and how the Premier League is wallowing in collective financial debt (£3.6 billion being the last reported figure). King cracks a wry smile at the latter. 'Men's sports lose money too, but people never talk about the men,' she says. Tennis is one of a number of sports that has deepened its ties with Saudi Arabia, with the sport last year hosting the WTA Finals in Riyadh. Is the country's harsh stance on LGBTQ+ rights not a profound mismatch with her own moral compass? 'I know things don't change without engagement,' says King, who was the first prominent female athlete to be publicly outed as gay in 1981 and subsequently lost $2 million-worth of endorsement deals. 'You're damned if you do and damned if you don't. I have a feeling it's going to help long term. In the short term, it probably doesn't feel like it. It's the girls who watched it [the WTA Finals]. They had some mothers and girls there of colour and they started getting excited about it. You never know how one person is going to impact another person's life. Muhammad Ali and I used to talk about this a lot. If you don't engage, things will stay the same.' That engagement has culminated in a landmark maternity policy, which is being bankrolled by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and includes fertility grants for players to freeze their eggs and covers the top 150 players in the world. Again, King believes opportunity trumps optics. 'I would have frozen my eggs for sure,' says King, whose well-publicised abortion in 1971 led her to becoming a fierce advocate for women's reproductive rights. 'But it costs money. If I was a young woman and had the money I would have got my eggs frozen by the time I was 30, knowing what we know now. But we didn't know any of this.' Tennis' flagship women's team competition – the Billie Jean King Cup – stages its finals in Shenzhen, China, this September, starting a three-year association with the country that is yet to provide answers over the disappearance of Peng Shuai. The Chinese tennis player accused a high-ranking government official of sexual assault in 2021 before vanishing from public life, instigating international concern and leading the WTA to boycott the country. She later said there had been a 'huge misunderstanding', although this was in a highly controlled interview, and the WTA said a return to China would not be considered until the request for a private meeting with her had been met. 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Make them feel included because you really don't know. With every person I meet, I try to start with a blank. Ask questions. If I weren't doing this interview with you, I'd be bugging you with a lot of questions.' And with that, King is whisked away to her next engagement. A day trip to Wimbledon on a London Routemaster bus beckons, and with it another trip down memory lane.

I'm worried my autistic son is going to struggle socially in his new school
I'm worried my autistic son is going to struggle socially in his new school

The Guardian

timean hour ago

  • The Guardian

I'm worried my autistic son is going to struggle socially in his new school

My son is starting secondary school in September. He is the only child from his primary transitioning to a selective grammar school. He has always struggled with friendships and I feel this is due to his autism. He is high-achieving academically. I don't want him to change who he is or feel as if he can't be himself. At the same time I know he can be standoffish and overwhelming when he is so focused on his own interests. He has just been invited to one of his new classmates' birthday parties. He was shocked and grateful to be invited, and it was heartbreaking. I don't want him to be isolated in his new school and I don't know how to help him to be ready and open to a brand new social setting. I would really appreciate any help or advice you could give. It's wonderful that you are so thoughtful, and I'm sure your son appreciates having a father who considers his feelings. Most parents, whether their children are neurotypical or not, worry about the big change from primary to secondary. I went to UKCP-registered child and adolescent psychotherapist Lucy Fuller and the National Autistic Society (NAS) which provided some useful links (see below). Fuller thought the fact that your son was invited to this party shows 'he is being held in mind even before he starts at his new school, which is something special. Whether he goes or not, he has already made a contact with someone he will be starting secondary school with.' That he seems pleased is a really good sign and I hope he goes to the party. Every autistic person is different, but what's important is that your son feels he can be himself. That's hard for everyone starting school because teenagers are primed to want to fit in. As for being standoffish when focused, that isn't so unusual in young people. Children can feel isolated when it comes to their feelings, so it's important your son realises that every child who is starting school – no matter how they present – will be nervous; every child (and new teacher) will get lost in the school; and everyone makes mistakes – it's how we develop as people. Fuller recommends that your son visit the school, if he hasn't already. And if he has, that you find a good time to chat 'about what it was like for him, what did he see or hear that interested him? What made him anxious?' Children love the practical details, so a rundown can help. What will his new mornings look like? What will the timings be? How will he get to school? Where will he put his stuff? Some people I know with autistic children find showing pictures of new places can help. Fuller said: 'As he's a bright student, it's also good to talk to him about how the classwork will be more interesting and challenging, and this will be a positive part of the transition.' She asked: 'Are there any clubs or activities where he can comfortably build relationships with smaller groups?' The NAS suggests contacting the school to find out if they operate a 'peer buddy' system, someone who can be paired up with your son who is already at the school, at least for the first few weeks. They also recommend you read the Autism Education Trust's School Transitions Parent Guide. 'There will be other students with diagnosed (and undiagnosed) autism,' Fuller adds. 'And you can ask the school about specific support for your son, which should include places and people he can go to when he needs support or feels overwhelmed.' Every child I've ever known has had a hiccup at school, but the important thing is your son has an engaged father who can help him over these bumps in a way that helps him grow. I would also ask how your own time at school was as this can be a particularly triggering – and I use the word advisedly – time for parents. Make sure you separate out your anxieties from your son's. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion NAS has a dedicated parents and carers section on their online community where parents can ask questions, share experiences and make connections. It is free to access and join. Know Yourself resources for autistic teenagers helps them explore their identity and interests: Every week, Annalisa Barbieri addresses a personal problem sent in by a reader. If you would like advice from Annalisa, please send your problem to Annalisa regrets she cannot enter into personal correspondence. Submissions are subject to our terms and conditions. The latest series of Annalisa's podcast is available here. Comments on this piece are pre-moderated to ensure the discussion remains on the topics raised by the article. Please be aware that there may be a short delay in comments appearing on the site.

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