Latest news with #BarryFry
Daily Record
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Kwame Poku tells Rangers exactly why he snubbed transfer for QPR deal
The winger appeared to be closing in on a move to Ibrox but opted to stay in England Transfer recruit Kwame Poku has lifted the lid on why he chose Queens Park Rangers amid interest from Rangers after leaving Peterborough. The forward has been heavily linked with the Light Blues in the past 12 months with Posh director of football Barry Fry revealing Ibrox scouts had watched the player in action. Russell Martin appeared close to bringing the 23-year-old to the Scottish Premiership in the last month - but in the end Poku opted to remain in England and take the step up from League One to the Championship. The club took a knowing swipe at Rangers on social media - and the man himself would lift the lid on the decision. Asked by club media why he opted for QPR, he said: "I think speaking to the manager, and speaking to everyone here, the project they are building here excites me and I want to be part of taking QPR to the next level. "When I was speaking to (new QPR boss) Julien Stephan he was talking about where he sees me fitting in and where he thinks I can influence the game. That's what really attracted me. "Being 23 turning 24, I'm not quite young anymore so I want to come in and make my mark from the jump.' Chief executive Christian Nourry also claimed that the R's have seen off competition from across Europe: "His decision to join the football club today in the face of interest from Europe-competing teams abroad and Championship teams with significantly bigger budgets than us is a fantastic validation of the direction we are moving in, including a specialised focus on individual player development." It leave Rangers to search for another winger as sporting director Kevin Thelwell and boss Martin look to strengthen before the crucial Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos next month. The club are in talks over bringing in Conor Coady to bolster the defence while Dor Turgeman is a target to boost the frontline with Hamza Igamane and Cyriel Dessers facing uncertain futures. You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also on WhatsApp, where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to your phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kwame Poku set for Rangers transfer as Russell Martin 'wins' multi-club battle for winger
Rangers have reportedly won the race to sign Peterborough winger Kwame Poku. The 23-year-old was at the centre of a huge battle for his signature with a host of Championship clubs and the continent chasing him. Advertisement Posh director of football, the legendary Barry Fry, revealed 25 clubs were in for the star. READ MORE: Rangers to 'miss out' on prime target as Ibrox club set for transfer de ja vu READ MORE: Max Aarons 'close' to Rangers transfer as Russell Martin swoops for former £20million Man Utd target But Team Talk now report 'Poku is in line to join Glasgow Rangers, with Russell Martin's side believing they have won the race.' Poku is out of contract and available on a free, although the London Road outfit will be due a compensation fee. However, Rangers can exploit the cross-border rule which they used to sign Joe Aribo for much less than Posh would receive if he went to a club in England. Advertisement Birmingham City are one of the clubs interested and reportedly offered the player £30,000 a week. Martin is yet to make a signing and the Ghana winger is seen as the ideal replacement for Vaclav Cerny, who has returned to Wolsburg after impressing on loan at Ibrox. Kwame Poku in action Poku was a standout in League One last season and scored 12 goals with eight assists, despite being plagued by injuries. Follow Record Sport on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for all of the up-to-the minute breaking news, video and audio on the SPFL, the Scotland national team and beyond. You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers page, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. Advertisement We're also WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to you phone. Join our Rangers community here. Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fry hails 'David and Goliath' Wembley win for Posh
Peterborough United icon Barry Fry said his side overcame a "David and Goliath" battle as they became EFL Trophy champions for the second year running. Posh tore up the form book and beat League One champions Birmingham City 2-0 in Sunday's final at Wembley. Fry, the club's director of football, said he was proud of the players after a difficult league campaign hampered by injuries. "I might have a glass or two of wine to celebrate, or a bottle even - who knows," said Fry, who promised himself a day off on Monday. Birmingham had been overwhelming favourites to win the final, having clinched the third-tier title on Saturday and beaten Posh in the league on Tuesday. However, they found no answer to goals from Peterborough's Harley Mills and captain Hector Kyprianou in the first half. "We were, once again, underdogs and we showed our talent," Fry said. "We've underachieved this year in the league, no doubt about that. The players set their own standard and we've all fallen way below them." The occasion was dubbed the "Barry Fry final" because of his ties with both clubs, with the 80-year-old having managed Blues between 1993 and 1996. But Fry nailed his colours to the mast in the build-up to the game, firmly backing Posh to retain their trophy. "It was a nervous 55, 60 minutes because it just went on and on and on, but the lads put in a shift today and I'm proud of each and every one of them," he added. Posh supporters celebrated on the steps of Wembley and inside the ground after an agonising wait for the final whistle. Nat, 16, told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "There was so much relief that overcame me at the final whistle and every fan went mad. "I really thought we were going to get played off the park by a really strong Birmingham side, but that's what Posh do at Wembley - we don't lose there." Lottie, a 10-year-old fan, said she expected a "really difficult" match against Blues after Tuesday's defeat. "But we made a comeback and it was really good to watch," she said. Her dad, Andy, added: "Our boys stuck in there and ran away with it, really." Posh were backed by about 20,000 supporters inside Wembley, which had a total attendance of 71,722. The win drew them level with Bristol City as the most successful side in the competition's history. Peterborough fan Nilesh Patel, who was at the game, said: "It's brilliant for the fans, the club and hopefully the whole city." Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Peterborough upset Birmingham to retain EFL Trophy Watch: Jubilant Peterborough fans celebrate EFL Trophy win Fry wants Wembley win over former club Birmingham Peterborough United
BBC News
14-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Barry Fry hails 'David and Goliath' Wembley win for Peterborough
Peterborough United icon Barry Fry said his side overcame a "David and Goliath" battle as they became EFL Trophy champions for the second year tore up the form book and beat League One champions Birmingham City 2-0 in Sunday's final at the club's director of football, said he was proud of the players after a difficult league campaign hampered by injuries."I might have a glass or two of wine to celebrate, or a bottle even - who knows," said Fry, who promised himself a day off on Monday. Birmingham had been overwhelming favourites to win the final, having clinched the third-tier title on Saturday and beaten Posh in the league on they found no answer to goals from Peterborough's Harley Mills and captain Hector Kyprianou in the first half. "We were, once again, underdogs and we showed our talent," Fry said."We've underachieved this year in the league, no doubt about that. The players set their own standard and we've all fallen way below them."The occasion was dubbed the "Barry Fry final" because of his ties with both clubs, with the 80-year-old having managed Blues between 1993 and Fry nailed his colours to the mast in the build-up to the game, firmly backing Posh to retain their trophy."It was a nervous 55, 60 minutes because it just went on and on and on, but the lads put in a shift today and I'm proud of each and every one of them," he added. Posh supporters celebrated on the steps of Wembley and inside the ground after an agonising wait for the final 16, told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "There was so much relief that overcame me at the final whistle and every fan went mad."I really thought we were going to get played off the park by a really strong Birmingham side, but that's what Posh do at Wembley - we don't lose there."Lottie, a 10-year-old fan, said she expected a "really difficult" match against Blues after Tuesday's defeat."But we made a comeback and it was really good to watch," she dad, Andy, added: "Our boys stuck in there and ran away with it, really." Posh were backed by about 20,000 supporters inside Wembley, which had a total attendance of 71, win drew them level with Bristol City as the most successful side in the competition's fan Nilesh Patel, who was at the game, said: "It's brilliant for the fans, the club and hopefully the whole city." Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
11-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Can Posh give Fry birthday gift against old friends Blues?
It is a competition that began quietly last September as the Bristol Motors Trophy and ends at Wembley on Sunday in front of a 70,000-plus audience as the Vertu Trophy also has Peterborough United director of football Barry Fry, in the week that he turned 80, hoping to witness his Posh side beat Blues and deny Chris Davies' already promoted side a repeat of his achievement of winning the 'lower league and cup double' when he was Birmingham City manager 30 years wonder it seems more like 'the Barry Fry final'.Admittedly, though, there is a bit more to it than that. If Posh boss Darren Ferguson wins, it will be a record fourth triumph for him as player and manager in this competition - and they will become the first side to win the trophy in successive he loses, it will be a first-ever Wembley defeat for Posh, who have the best record in finals there out of the 92 clubs in the Premier League and the EFL - five out of an official 43,000-strong following of Blues fans, which could touch 50,000, and well over half that of Posh fans making the journey too, Sunday's final is once again a glorious celebration of lower league is a competition that not too many focus on at the qualifying-round stages each season, but annually gathers pace like a runaway train once the Wembley arch is in sight, just as with the old 'twin towers'.One slight spanner in the works is that there are no trains heading from Birmingham Moor Street and though Blues' Solihull heartland straight to Wembley Stadium this Sunday - due to "staff shortages"., external Blues and Posh in the Trophy Whatever happens in Sunday's final, it will mean at least one alteration to football's history books. With two previous victories each, a third will take the winners level with Bristol City's record three Peterborough's perfect Wembley record has seen them twice pick up the EFL Trophy under Ferguson in 2014 and 2024, and win three play-off finals in 1992, 2000 and 2011, the last of which was also under Posh can become the first side to successfully defend the trophy, Birmingham have an even more sensational record. They have only played in this competition five times in its many different guises in the 44 years since it began life as the Football League Group Cup in 1981 - and yet this is Blues' third final, having won it both in 1991 with Lou Macari and again in 1995. And they also won on their first visit to the rebuilt Wembley - the shock 2011 League Cup final win over Arsenal. It adds up to an overall competition record of played 26, won 21. How they got to Wembley Birmingham put a combined 11 goals past Shrewsbury Town and Fulham Under-21s but they kicked off the EFL Trophy campaign by losing a drawn West Midlands derby against Walsall on the knockout stages they were then on the road, seeing off Exeter City, Swindon Town and Stevenage before a memorable night under the St Andrew's lights against Bradford for Ferguson's Posh, they won all three of their group games, at Gillingham and then home wins over Stevenage and Crystal Palace then put out Northampton Town, Walsall and Cheltenham, all on home soil, before ruining the prospect of an all-American owned final with Tom Brady's Blues, by coming from 2-0 downto beat Ryan Reynolds' Wrexham on penalties in the semi-final at a stunned Racecourse Ground. Sunday's team news Davies will recall top scorer Jay Stansfield after rotating his squad for Tuesday's trip to London Road, when the visitors' 2-1 win clinched promotion from League his first-choice line-up has rather picked itself of late and the key questions are which two players will not make his 18-man matchday squad, for a potential chance to come off the of his back-up strikers, 16-goal Alfie May and the long-serving Lukas Jutkiewicz, have ever played at Wembley are forced into at least three defensive changes from the midweek dress Stockport County man Sam Hughes, almost an ever-present since his January move, is cup-tied, as are Tayo Edun, who played in an earlier round for Charlton Athletic, and Carl Johnston, who did the same for Fleetwood. What the managers say Peterborough United boss Darren Ferguson told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire:"When you get to these sort of occasions, you have to tell players they're not starting or, worse, they're not involved. And it's not a nice part of my job."We've got some numbers back now and I've got some tough decisions to make. We've got 21 players available - and only 18 places in the squad. And it's actually going to be tougher to pick the players on the bench than it is the ones in the starting line-up."I've already told the lads that I expect we'll use 15 outfield players. It's Wembley. A big occasion. A hot day and a massive pitch."It's great for the fans that we've got another day out at Wembley - and great for the players too. Wembley takes care of itself and you'd expect a strong performance from my team. My focus has always been on the league but I might feel a bit different when I wake up Sunday morning." Birmingham City boss Chris Davies told BBC Radio WM:"Tuesday night was something special. To go there and get promoted for sure was one of those things you never forgot. Nobody left for 25 minutes."Peterborough will be a wounded animal. They've lost at home and they will want to put that right. They've got some talent and speed. They're the fourth highest scorers in this league."But every single game this season, we've been up for it. We've not got carried away with what happened in midweek. We just want more of it. "To get a team to Wembley is one thing, to lead the team out is another. My family will be there and it will mean a lot. Anyone in this country knows what Wembley means."
