News

Government officially approves Eton’s plan to ‘remove barriers’ and open new FREE college in Oldham

This is a big deal.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 12th December 2025

Eton’s plans to open a new free college in Oldham will officially go ahead following Government approval this week.

In case you need bringing up to speed a bit, plans for three new post-16 colleges – with the other two being in Dudley and Middlesborough – that are designed to help give young people who’ve done well in their GCSEs the opportunity to achieve the A-Levels they need to go to Oxbridge and other elite universities across the world were first announced back in March 2022, and then given the green light in August 2023.

Eton has partnered with Star Academies – which is said to be the highest-performing state school trust in the country – for the new colleges.

The colleges will aim to recruit ‘dynamic young people from deprived communities’, including in Oldham, and provide them with a ‘rigorous and rounded education’ that supports their ambitions to achieve places at ‘the very best universities’.

Oldham Council has welcomed the news that the new college – set to be named Eton Star Oldham – will go ahead, after the Government confirmed the conclusion of its national review into the proposals.

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The decision means that Oldham will become one of the first places in the country to offer this new education model that combines high standards with strong partnerships and expanded opportunities for local young people.

The Government has officially approved Eton’s plan to open a new free college in Oldham / Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Approval means pupils from every background will soon have access to the ‘very best’ opportunities.

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Cllr Arooj Shah, who is the Leader of Oldham Coucil, said this is ‘great news’ for Oldham, adding: “Eton Star Oldham will give our young people access to life-changing opportunities, no matter their background or where they start in life.

“We have been clear throughout that this must be a college shaped with our young people, our parents and our communities.

“Now that the Government has confirmed it will go ahead, we will work closely with Eton College and Star Academies to make sure this delivers for Oldham’s children and opens doors for generations to come.”

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Work will now begin on the detailed next steps – including design, delivery, and engagement with families and communities.

It’s also been confirmed that the college will be built on the current Tommyfield Market car park site in Oldham town centre.

Featured Image – Oldham Council

News

Former Salford Red Devils player planning phoenix club after the team’s collapse

Danny Jones Danny Jones Former rubgy league player leading Salford Red Devils phoenix club bid

A former Salford Red Devils player is planning to start a phoenix club from the ashes of the fallen rugby league team.

Retired winger Mason Caton-Brown, who played for the Red Devils between 2014 and 2016, is leading the consortium currently being linked with resurrecting the Salford side.

The Greater Manchester sporting institution sadly folded following liquidation on 3 December after a prolonged period of uncertainty and crippling debts.

Despite investors promising funds and multiple adjournments to their winding-up ceremony, time simply ran out and now Caton-Brown and co. are, hopefully, looking to pick up the pieces.

Heading up the move to bring back the beloved outfit, the former chairman of the ‘Forever Reds Supporters Trust’ (FRST), Malcolm Crompton, local entrepreneurs Paul Hancock and Ashley Washington are also assisting with the proposal.

Simply known as ‘The Phoenix Bid’, they are said to have potentially secured a six-figure sum and have already reached some provisional pre-contract agreements with a new coach and several players ahead of the formal offer being taken into consideration.

Publishing a lengthy mission statement on social media earlier this week, the ex-pro wrote: “I moved to Salford from London over 10 years ago, and the club and city welcomed me with open arms.

“It made me who I am today. The Salford City community is like no other, and the club is a big part of that, so when I saw it was at risk of going under, I truly felt the need to be a part of a solution and give back to the club, city and the community.

“But I’m not on my own, I’m part of a team of people that are passionate about what this club means and truly focused on making sure a true Salford RLFC stays alive and is something the fans and the city can call their own.”

Chatting with BBC Sport Manchester in a recent interview, the 32-year-old Enfield-born athlete turned businessman – who also represented the London Broncos and Wakefield Trinity – claims that conversations with investors and stakeholders are progressing nicely.

Signing off the post with a strong assurance, he said: “If our bid is successful, I promise we will do everything we can to protect the club and build a future Salford can be proud of.”

As for the fans, a spokesperson for the aforementioned supporters’ trust dubbed the prospective personnel spearheading the revival as a “powerful and credible team”, with Caton-Brown promising to reveal all the exciting details if the bid gets green-lit.

Speaking in an official press release shared with The Manc, the one-time Jamaican international and adopted Salfordian added: “This isn’t just about rebuilding a club, it’s about rebuilding belief.

“Salford means everything to me as a club and is part of my story. We want to create something the city can be proud of again; a club that stands for honesty, sustainability, and genuine community connection.”

“We’re inviting the people of Salford to stand with us. Together we can rise again, not just to bring rugby league back to this city, but to make sure it thrives for generations to come.”

Do you think The Phoenix Bid will be successful and, more importantly, do you think this group are the right people to bring the club back and get them moving onwards and upwards again?

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Featured Images — Publicity picture (supplied via Rumpus PR)

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First Bee Network train unveiled as Greater Manchester prepares to integrate public transport in 2026

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Bee Network train

The first Bee Network train has been unveiled, as Greater Manchester prepares to integrate all public transport options in 2026.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has this week revealed a step-by-step plan for bringing the region’s rail lines into the Bee Network to create the first truly integrated public transport system outside London.

With just one year to go until the first rail services start joining the Bee Network, industry leaders unveiled a new yellow Bee Network promotional train and set out how passengers will benefit from new services, improved stations, and simpler fares and ticketing in the months ahead.

The first two lines – which will connect Manchester to Glossop and Stalybridge – are set to join the Bee Network from 13 December 2026.

Contactless ‘tap in, tap out’ ticketing will also rolled out across 17 stations on this date.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) says these initial two rail lines are ‘just the beginning’, with more lines set to follow in 2027 and 2028, and the further roll out of contactless and capped fares will work to join buses, trams, and trains together as Greater Manchester continues its journey to deliver an ‘affordable, accessible, and joined-up’ transport network.

By March 2026, the Bee Network app and TfGM website start to join together.

They will feature comprehensive rail station information, from car park and cycling spaces through to step-free access – with real-time rail departure and disruption information added by the summer, and journey planning available by autumn.

Also, another huge step in the plan, is that from May 2026, TransPennine Express will run 25/7 night-time trains to Manchester Airport as a way of supporting the region’s ‘thriving’ night-time and visitor economy.

Bee Network train
The first-ever Bee Network train has been unveiled ahead of its 2026 launch / Credit: TfGM (Supplied)

Looking forward the future, additional and later-running services on the Airport, Alderley Edge, and Rochdale-stopping lines will be piloted from 2027.

And then, from January 2028, eight rail lines – with 64 stations included – will be fully integrated with Bee Network buses and trams, ‘tap and go’ payments, and daily and weekly fare caps, while the remaining 32 stations will join the system by 2030.

“With one year to go until rail joins the Bee Network, we are on the cusp of delivering a fully integrated, world-class transport system for our global city-region,” commented Mayor Andy Burnham, as the first Bee Network train was unveiled this week.

“These changes will make everyday journeys easier and open up new opportunities for people across Greater Manchester.

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“I am excited for what the next twelve months will bring as we build a better, more connected future for us all.”

Featured Image – TfGM (Supplied)

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