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Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ethan Wheatley hopes Euros stage offers ‘perfect way' to impress Ruben Amorim
Ethan Wheatley is determined to show his quality and put a frustrating loan away from Manchester United behind him by helping to keep England's bid to become Under-19 European champions alive. The 19-year-old was crowned the Red Devils' 2023-24 Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year having capped an exceptional season with the development teams by making his first-team debut last April. Advertisement Wheatley found first-team opportunities limited to one substitute Carabao Cup appearance this term and joined Sky Bet League Two promotion hopefuls Walsall in January in search of regular competitive football. But things went awry at the Bescot as he played just four times and ultimately got permission to feature for United's Under-21s towards the end of a season that could yet end on a high with England Under-19s in Romania. 'My second half of season has been frustrating, not being able to show what I'm about, really,' Wheatley told the PA news agency. 'But I think this tournament is the perfect way to do it. Advertisement 'I think there'll be a lot of eyes on it and obviously representing your country in a Euros there's not much better than that. 'It'll be good to hopefully impress and, just for myself and for the team, play my part and do well. 'The club have been good with me. They've let me come back and play a few 21s games just to keep my legs going, so it's been good to be back at United, developing and getting game time.' United staff are understood to have been perplexed by Walsall's approach with Wheatley, who scored a vital goal for his country in a jaw-dropping match at the Under-19s Euros on Tuesday. England were 5-1 down just minutes into the second half, only for the striker to spark a scarcely believable 5-5 comeback draw as attention turns to Friday's final pool game against Group B winners the Netherlands. Wheatley's display showed the kind of maturity and confidence he spoke with at the team base in Romania, where he appeared focused and undeterred by his struggles at Walsall. Advertisement 'Even if my first (loan) didn't go well – and it didn't – I had it in the back of my head, and I was telling staff around the club, it's not going to define me as a player,' United's 250th academy graduate said. 'It's not going to judge where I end up in the future. I think it's just like a little blip in my early career, and hopefully I can just bounce back from it going into next season.' Erik ten Hag gave Ethan Wheatley his Manchester United debut in April 2024 (Martin Rickett/PA) Erik ten Hag liked Wheatley and included him in last summer's tour squad having played him three times in the Premier League, but it remains to be seen what successor Ruben Amorim has in store for him. Asked if he know show the future looks, the talented United forward said: 'As of now, no, not really. I'm just more concentrated on this tournament. Advertisement 'But, yeah, since (Amorim) came in I was away with international camp and obviously went on loan in January, so I've not really been around it too much. 'But I want to be a Man United player in the future, but if that doesn't happen then it obviously wasn't meant to be. We'll just see what happens in the future.'
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
U's fan set to launch exciting new prediction app this summer
AN Oxford United supporter is set to launch a new football prediction app ahead of next season. Founded by Kieran Whelan, from Brize Norton, and two of his friends, TIPPL Sports will see users select six results from the 20 hardest games to predict from the Premier League down to Sky Bet League Two. The chaotic points system includes base points for correct results, bonuses for winning the 'Big Bet' and penalties for players who have poor weeks. Goal difference also contributes to a player's weekly score, ensuring no one is ever out of the title race. READ ALSO: Simon Eastwood announces United contract extension Having become bored of current apps on the market focusing on the top flight, Whelan used Microsoft Excel to create an app in a bid to engage more EFL fans. 'I decided to build a simple Excel, no budgets or score picking or anything like that, I would just choose the five hardest matches to predict from each of the top four leagues, and we would all choose six results,' Whelan explained. 'It then grew and grew, a few of our other friends joined, then friends of friends, and eventually after a couple of years I had two divisions running, relegation and promotion, and around 100 people, with more wanting to join the season after. 'I wanted to create something chaotically fun. Throughout the few years on Excel, we had a player gain as much as 36 points in one week and drop as many as minus 21. 'I think so far we've only had one season out of four where it's been won by more than 10 points, and one where the leader was first all season, and lost only on correct predictions on the final game, essentially like losing the title on goal difference. 'We even have lower league specials during international breaks where the National League and National League North and South are involved. We wanted to essentially flip the script and show that the EFL community is something that shouldn't be ignored.' CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE OXFORD MAIL ONLINE (Image: Newsquest) With the U's being a huge part of Whelan's life growing up, the idea of a fans' league for fellow United supporters is something which he wants to become a reality. He said: 'I would definitely love to see as many Oxford fans as possible getting involved, joining a fans' league, and enjoying the app. There are plans for a team's league too, so the more Oxford fans representing the club and gaining points the better.' With approximately 100 people and two divisions running in the previous couple of years, Whelan prepares for the launch of TIPPL Sports on July 18. He hopes to see the app progress into a hub for EFL fans in the future, before one day looking to take the fun overseas. For more information about TIPPL Sports, please visit:
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The seven teams joining Reading in League One after EFL promotions and relegations
AFC Wimbledon's Ryan Johnson and Jack Reeves lift the trophy with team-mates following victory in the Sky Bet League Two play off final at Wembley Stadium, London. Picture date: Monday May 26, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER League Two. Photo credit (Image: Mike Egerton) As is always the way at this time of year, Reading fans will be mapping and planning out the next nine months as the 2025/26 League One campaign sneaks up on you. With two weeks until fixture release day, there is still some two months until a ball is kicked, but seven new teams will be in the third tier for supporters to visit next season. Advertisement Take a look below at the three teams who dropped down from the Championship and four who came up from League Two, with plenty of familiar faces. (Image: JasonPIX) Cardiff City Regular foes over the past 20 years, Reading are meeting the Bluebirds in third tier for first time since a 2-2 draw at Ninian Park in 2001 after Aaron Ramsey's side finished rock-bottom of the Championship. Circling around the plughole for a number of years, Reading last met the Welsh side in a competitive fixture in February 2023, the year in which they were relegated. Sambri Lamouchi's side were down there with Paul Ince's Royals, but a dire 1-0 defeat in the capital was a big nail in the coffin, Romaine Sawyers scoring late in the day for the hosts. Advertisement Memorable Meetings: Cardiff City 0-3 Reading, 2011 Drawing 0-0 in the first leg of the Championship play-off semi final at the Madejski Stadium, Reading ran riot in the second leg and booked their place in the final against fellow Welsh outfit Swansea City. Shane Long netted twice, the final goals of his first spell, while Jobi McAnuff's solo effort rounded off the scoring. Dave Jones' side would endure one more failed play-off attempt in 2011/12 before winning the Championship under Malky Mackay in 2012/13. Cardiff City 3-0 Reading, 1927 Reading's first appearance in an FA Cup semi-final was not a happy one, beaten comfortably at Molineux as Cardiff booked their place in the Wembley showpiece. Beating Arsenal 1-0, the trophy was taken out of England for the first time. Advertisement Plymouth Argyle It has been more than 15 years since Reading and Plymouth shared a division, and you have to go back to Mark McGhee's promotion-winning year of 1993/94 to find the pair in the third tier. The Pilgrims finished second from bottom in the Championship to return to League One after two years and are on the hunt for a manager after Miron Muslic walked to Schalke. It has been six years since the sides last played, Josh Barrett catching the eye at Home Park as Reading knocked the hosts out of the League Cup in round two, while a 2-1 win for Brian McDermott's Royals in 2009/10 was the most recent league meeting. Advertisement Memorable Meetings Reading 1-2 Plymouth Argyle, 2005 It is not often that memorable matches end in defeat, but little did anyone know that after an opening day defeat to Plymouth in August 2005, Steve Coppell's side would not taste defeat for 33 matches and roar to the Premiership in March 2006. Reading 4-3 Plymouth Argyle, 1985 Another record-breaking season for Reading as Ian Branfoot's men won their first 13 league matches and eventually sealed promotion to the second tier, perhaps the most iconic of the season came in December at Elm Park. Almost 9,000 were in attendance as the visitors raced into a three-goal lead after 48 minutes. Looking set for defeat, Dean Horrix pulled one back in the 65th minute and three goals in the final 10 minutes completed the ultimate comeback. Advertisement Luton Town After a sudden fall from League Cup winners to non-league regulars, the Hatters enjoyed a similarly steep rise back to the top as they rose from tier five to the Premier League in a decade. This season will see Matt Bloomfield's men sharing the third tier with the Royals for the first time since 2001, while Rob Edwards brought his side to Berkshire as recently as 2022, a 1-1 draw in which Andy Carroll was sent off for deliberate handball. Memorable Meetings Reading 4-1 Luton Town, 1988 One of Reading's greatest days, over 40,000 followed the club to Wembley for the first time and were rewarded with a feast of football as Branfoot's side lifted the Full Members Cup. Advertisement Mick Tait, Michael Gilkes, Stuart Beavon and Neil Smilie found the net on the day as the Hatters, who were regulars of the top division, would go on to beat Arsenal in the League Cup final a matter of weeks later. Luton 0-5 Reading, 2020 Supporters had to be content with watching Mark Bowen's side pull Luton apart on television due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but it was still enjoyable. Yakou Meite found the net four times and George Puscas grabbed himself a goal in one of the rare positive results after Operation Restart. (Image: Adam Rutter) Port Vale Supporters of both sides are looking forward to a reunion with our friends from Staffordshire, the pair pitted against each other after a year out. Advertisement After the most recent original fixture was abandoned due to protests, with the Royals winning the rescheduled match, tens of thousands of pounds were raised for a statue of Vale legend John Rudge. Now firm friends in a world where that can sometimes be rare, Reading fans will no doubt circle the next trip to Vale Park as a must-attend. Doncaster Rovers It has been an incredible 39 years since Reading met 'Donny' in the third tier, and a over a decade since the last meeting full stop. Who can forget Alex Pearce's stepovers as Nigel Adkins' side celebrated with inflatables at the Keepmoat Stadium for the final away match of the 2013/14 campaign. Advertisement With former Royal Billy Sharp still going strong at 40, Grant McCann's side will be back in Berkshire this coming season. Memorable Meetings Reading 4-3 Doncaster, 2010 Brian McDermott's side scored four for the second time in a week as Doncaster visited the Madejski Stadium in October 2010. Matt Mills, Jem Karacan, Ian Harte and Simon Church found the net for the hosts in a seven goal thriller. Doncaster 7-5 Reading, 1982 Rovers hit seven on their own way back in 1982, the second time the Royals have lost 7-5 in the last 50 years. Kerry Dixon grabbed a hattrick but still ended up on the losing side at Belle Vue. Advertisement Bradford City Bradford, who sealed a return to League One with almost the last kick of their season, will return to the SCL Stadium for the first time in a decade this season. You have to go back to 1993/94 for the last time both the Royals and Bantams were in the third tier, McGhee's side winning the title come the end. Nobody of a Reading persuasion will need reminding of the last meeting between the sides, a 3-0 win to send Steve Clarke's side to Wembley for the FA Cup semi-final showdown with Arsenal. Memorable Meetings Reading 3-0 Bradfod City, 2015 After a tense stalemate on a quagmire at Valley Parade, Hal Robson-Kanu and Garath McCleary eased any fears in the replay. Advertisement Felipe Morias saw red for Phil Parkinson's side and Jamie Mackie completed the rout in the second half, sending over 20,000 fans home happy. Reading 2-1 Bradford, 1988 After knocking out three top-flight sides in the first three rounds of the Simod Cup, Branfoot's side were finally drawn a team in their division at the quarter-final stage. Only 7,000 turned out but Colin Bailie and Dean Horrix did the damage, albiet after extra-time, to set up a mouth-watering semi-final with Coventry City. Over 15,000 (and the rest, who went unaccounted for) turned out for the 1-1 draw as Michael Gilkes' penalty sent the Royals to Wembley. Advertisement AFC Wimbledon In an unusual feat for Reading, who celebrate their 154th birthday in December, this year will mark a first ever competitive fixture with the Wombles. Under Paul Ince, the Royals won a pre-season fixture at Plough Lane, but you have to go back to the original Wimbledon, who ceased to exist over 20 years ago, for a competitive meeting. Only meeting 12 times between 1977 and 2003, future captain Jobi McAnuff scored as the South London side won 3-0 on Boxing Day 2003. A crowd of just 2,066 saw Reading win the reverse fixture at Selhurst Park, this being a second tier fixture.
Extra.ie
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Inside Caoimhin Kelleher's personal life as Cork man set for £18m move
Liverpool FC have agreed to a £18m (€21m) deal with Brentford to sell their Irish goalkeeper, Caoimhin Kelleher. The 26-year-old has played for Liverpool's Senior team since 2019 having trained with their academy prior to that. The Cork man had interest from West Ham FC, Leeds as well as Bournemouth but looks set to replace Mark Flekken who leaves Brentford for Bayer Leverkusen. Liverpool FC have agreed to a £18m (€21m) deal with Brentford to sell their Irish goalkeeper, Caoimhin Kelleher. Pic: Chris Foxwell/ProSports/REX/Shutterstock As Kelleher makes his move, take a look at his career history, love life and family life — including his fellow soccer playing brother. Caoimhin was born and raised in Blackrock, Cork and attended Presentation Brothers College. The 26-year-old is the youngest of five boys with his brother Fiacre, 29, currently playing for EFL League Two club Colchester United. Their three older brothers played hurling, as did Fiachra. Macclesfield Town manager Mark Kennedy talks to Fiacre Kelleher during the pre match warm up prior to the Sky Bet League Two match between Macclesfield Town and Northampton Town in 2020. Pic:Caoimhin Kelleher has been in a relationship with accomplished Irish dancer, Eimear Murphy, for a number of years. The pair have been together since they were teenagers, with Eimear even teaching the goalkeeper some Irish dancing. 'My girlfriend is skilled in Irish dancing, so I've been trying to garner up some moves too,' he told Liverpool Echo last year. 'I used to do it at school back home, so I've been trying to pick it up because I want to learn it again.' Caoimhin Kelleher has been in a relationship with Irish dancer Eimear Murphy since they were teenagers. Pic: Facebook The Cork native joined Liverpool's academy from Ringmahon Rangers in summer 2015 and was re-signed in August 2018. Kelleher became the 12th Irish footballer to win a Champions League in 2019 when the team won against Tottenham Hotspur. Kelleher was on the bench for the game but made his competitive debut for Liverpool shortly after in September 2019. In 2020, Kelleher started a number of times for Liverpool, with the then 22-year-old becoming the third-youngest goalkeeper for the club to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League. Kelleher has caps for his country at U17, U19 and U21 level, first playing for Ireland in the 2015 UEFA European Under-17 championships. He was first named on the senior squad in November 2018 and played his first game in June 2021, when he came on as a half-time substitute. To date, Caoimhin has made 22 appearances for the Republic of Ireland national team.
Glasgow Times
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
The Eagles have landed at Wembley – how did Crystal Palace reach FA Cup final?
Here, the PA news agency looks at the Eagles' road to Wembley – the third FA Cup final in their history and another chance for them to win major silverware for the first time. Third round: Crystal Palace 1-0 Stockport (January 12) Eberechi Eze's goal proved to be the winner against Stockport (Zac Goodwin/PA) Eberechi Eze's fourth-minute strike at Selhurst Park proved to be enough to secure the win in what was the also Hatters' first competitive assignment against Premier League hosts in 18 years. Fourth round: Doncaster 0-2 Crystal Palace (February 10) Daniel Muñoz won't score an easier goal than that for @CPFC! 🦅#EmiratesFACup — Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) February 10, 2025 Palace soared through to the fifth round after Daniel Munoz broke the deadlock in the 31st minute at the Eco-Power Stadium, where Northern Ireland international Justin Devenny also scored in the second half to wrap up the comfortable victory over this season's Sky Bet League Two champions. Fifth-round: Crystal Palace 3-1 Millwall (March 1) Out of the hat emerged a tantalising south London derby, one that got off to an unsettling start when Liam Roberts was sent off with a straight red card in the eighth minute. The Millwall goalkeeper was dismissed for a high boot challege that resulted in Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta being rushed to hospital, where he required 25 stitches to repair a lacerated left ear. Jean-Philippe Mateta required 25 stitches to repair a lacerated left ear (Bradley Collyer/PA) Japhet Tanganga's own goal handed the Eagles a 33rd-minute lead, extended by Munoz seven minutes later, but Wes Harding clawed a goal back for the short-handed Championship side in the 13th minute of first-half stoppage time. Eddie Nketiah restored Palace's two-goal advantage nine minutes from time, but ongoing concern about Mateta's injury dampened the hosts' celebrations. Roberts was later handed a six-match ban. Quarter-final: Fulham 0-3 Crystal Palace (March 29) Mateta – sporting an ear protection device – made his return at Craven Cottage, where Palace booked a trip to the sixth FA Cup semi-final in their history with a dominant 3-0 triumph over Fulham. Crystal Palace are going to Wembley! 🦅 They're into the FA Cup semi-finals after beating Fulham 3-0 through goals from Ebere Eze, Ismaila Sarr and Eddie Nketiah 👏 — Premier League (@premierleague) March 29, 2025 Eze netted the 34th-minute opener and Ismaila Sarr added a second four minutes later, before Nketiah scored his second of the cup campaign in the second half. Semi-final: Crystal Palace 3-0 Aston Villa (April 26) Palace had only previously reached the FA Cup final twice in their history – in 1990 and 2016 – losing on both occasions to Manchester United, on the first occasion following a replay. The south London support came out in full force at Wembley, where the Eagles' flare-waving crowd-funded tifo-unfurling blue-and-red legions were in boisterously stark contrast to the more subdued support at the other end. And their side rose to the occasion, Eze once again opening the scoring with a sumptuous strike one minute after the half hour. Sarr made it 2-0 with a stylish finish of his own in the second half – moments after Mateta missed a penalty – and bagged a stoppage-time brace to ensure Palace would have another chance to make history at Wembley.
