Two local football teams in Yorkshire have been condemned for ‘disrespectful and despicable behaviour’ after attempting to play their scheduled game after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Sheffield International FC were due to play against fellow Sunday league side Byron House on the Friday following the Queen’s passing, but the fixture was cancelled after the rest of the matches were scrapped by the Sheffield and District Fair Play League.
The Yorkshire team tweeted that the game would be played as a friendly instead but went on to inform fans: ‘someone’s snitched on us so now even the friendly is off’.
Update, someone’s snitched on us so now even the friendly is off.
So instead we’re having a training sesssion tomorrow morning, at 10.30am.
If that gets cancelled we’ll have a game of rugby seeing as that’s deemed respectful enough
However, despite switching to training instead, it would seem that both sides still turned up in full kit and Sheffield International later joked that their keeps were “scrapping halfway through a ‘training session'”.
Condemning the actions and behaviour on social media, the Fair Play League said in an official FA statement: “There will be an investigation into this matter, in conjunction with the Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA, and these two teams will be dealt with in the strongest possible terms.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Our league has honesty, integrity and fair play as cornerstones, and we will not accept such behaviour from within our ranks.”
The league’s chairman Danny Taylor said: “Queen Elizabeth II ruled, served and led with integrity and humility for more than seven decades. It is a terrible shame that these two teams could not emulate this even for a single Saturday, despite our clear instructions.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We may or may not agree with the mass cancellation of football, but this was decided as a mark of respect and should therefore have been adhered to.”
Pundit Richard Keys said earlier this week that the likes of cricket, rugby union, F1, all of which went still went ahead ‘should be ashamed’.
ADVERTISEMENT
Teams throughout the footballing pyramid, including all the way down to grassroots level, had their games cancelled as a mark of respect following the Queen’s death.
That being said, others have seen the outrage as somewhat of an overreaction, with many noting that most other sports still went ahead in the days following the news.
I’m sure the queen is fuming that 2 teams from Sheffield decided to play a friendly 🤦 they should’ve just called it a rugby or cricket match then
One commenter went so far as to suggest: ‘you guys have done more to positively promote your league today than your governing body ever has.’
Many have questioned whether the step was necessary and why other sports were allowed to go ahead as planned, arguing that postponement should have been across the board if opposed at all.
Featured image: Sheffield International FC via Twitter
Sport
Luxury Manchester gym Blok confirms permanent closure after weeks of uncertainty
Daisy Jackson
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure, weeks after the doors to the premium fitness facility mysteriously closed.
Around a fortnight ago, members began to arrive to their classes to find the gym on Ducie Street locked up and a forfeiture notice on the door – but at the time, Blok said that it was fighting to reopen.
Sadly, in an email sent to members today, its founder has confirmed that the studio is now permanently closed.
Blok – which has several very successful sites down in London – said that its relationship with its landlord has ‘broken down to a point where trust has been lost’.
The gym wrote that it’s been left with ‘no workable way forward’.
They said: “BLOK Manchester was a space built by our loyal and dedicated community. Whether you joined us for one class or one hundred, we are deeply grateful. You helped create something genuinely special in an incredible city.”
In the immediate future, they said they’ll be supporting the team of fantastic trainers who worked here, as well as looking after members.
Members will be contacted within a few hours with options and refunds owed.
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure. Credit: The Manc Group
CEO and founder Ed Stanbury said: “While this marks the end of a chapter, we don’t see it as the end of our story in Manchester. We’re already speaking with developers about potential future sites and remain committed to returning to the city when the time is right.
“Thank you for being part of our story so far. Let’s shape the future of wellness. The mission continues.”
Commenting on Blok’s Instagram post – its first in almost a fortnight – people have been sharing their sadness at the closure of its Manchester site.
One person wrote: “beautiful space, beautiful staff and beautiful community.”
Another said: “Sending love to all the instructors !! :(((( gutted”
Someone else commented: “THE BEST CLASSES. I’m gutted.”
Manchester City plotting spending spree ‘before’ Club World Cup
Danny Jones
Manchester City are set to embark on somewhat of a spending spree this summer transfer window as the club’s higher-ups are looking to get business done before the 2025 Club World Cup.
With FIFA’s intercontinental club competition set to get underway in mid-June, the Blues don’t have too long to welcome in new players, but Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has reiterated their urgency regarding recruitment.
Despite having brought in four new acquisitions in a very short space of time last season, the 50-year-old argued that he wasn’t completely happy with the extent and speed of their business.
Giving a lengthy interview this week, CFG‘s founding chairman has imposed an internal deadline ahead of the lucrative knockout competition.
Speaking with club media, Khaldoon recognised that while there were incomings in January of this year, he believes they “should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do, adding that he believes it “cost [them].”
“I can tell you today, we have clearly identified who exactly [the targets are], in what positions, and we have our clear number one option, our clear number two option”, he continues.
More importantly, he goes on to add: “We’ll go about our business, and it will be very clear, very swift. Our objective is to try to be ready with the new squad for the Club World Cup.”
He also suggested the flurry of activity this past January was not just atypical of the administration, but felt the squad fell into a crisis state with the number of injuries, insisting they “had to act.”
City have already been linked with a hugely talented and highly-rated European target in the wake of Kevin De Bruyne‘s departure and a lack of strength in depth in midfield.
An initial bid is said to have been received already and will likely be the first of many City summer signings.
He also insisted that the players who joined last season weren’t scattershot, emergency transfers (perhaps barring the resigning of İlkay Gündoğan) but were the start of the rebuild and “gives [fans] an idea of what’s coming this summer.”
Another player linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium is Lyon star Rayan Cherki, who scored in big moments during their Europa League run this year, registering 32 goal contributions across all competitions throughout the 24/25 campaign.
Who would you like to see added to Pep Guardiola’s side this summer, then, Man City fans?
You can watch Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s interview in full down below:
Danny Jones -
15th September 2022 
