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Richard Ashcroft announces massive Wigan homecoming show next summer

First one in 25 years! (This article contains affiliate links)

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 28th November 2023

Manc music royalty Richard Ashcroft will return to his hometown of Wigan next summer for a massive gig.

The gig at Robin Park will mark the first time Ashcroft has performed in Wigan for more than 25 years.

The star is perhaps best-known for his time spent with The Verve, with whom he released Urban Hymns, the UK’s 18th-biggest-selling album of all time.

The Verve’s hits included The Drugs Don’t Work, Bittersweet Symphony, Lucky Man, and Sonnet.

He’s gone on to earn himself two Ivor Novello Awards, for Songwriter of the Year in 1998 and Outstanding Contribution to British Music in 2019.

Richard Ashcroft‘s most recent album, Acoustic Hymns, was released in 2022 and reached number two in the UK Albums Chart.

He’ll be performing at Robin Park next July, a multi-million pound venue that will be the home of Wigan Warriors, built in association with Wigan Council.

Richard Ashcroft in the iconic Bittersweet Symphony music video - the singer just announced a Wigan gig next summer
Richard Ashcroft in the iconic Bittersweet Symphony music video. Credit: YouTube

Robin Park has been built next to the DW Stadium and is just a 20 minute walk from the town centre and Wigan North Western train station.

Richard Ashcroft said: “After 25 years, I’m back playing in my hometown. Looking forward to an amazing night in Wigan.”

The huge gig will take place on Saturday 20 July at Robin Park.

Tickets will go on sale from 9am on Friday 1 December via See Tickets.

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Featured image: Publicity picture

News

Streamer AngryGinge ‘arrested and banned’ from Silvestone at the British GP

Danny Jones Danny Jones AngryGinge arrested at F1 British GP

Popular Manc influencer, ‘AngryGinge’, was arrested, fined and ultimately banned from Silverstone at this year’s British GP.

The Salford-born Twitch streamer, YouTuber and social media personality (real name Morgan Burtwhistle) was detained at the circuit after being arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.

Ginge recently starred in Soccer Aid 2025 and is a well-known face both on the internet and in the sporting world, regularly working in and around football, and is an avid Manchester United – even featuring in the club’s third kit launch video last year.

The 23-year-old and two other fellow streamers, ‘Chazza’ and ‘Samham’, were accused of criminal damage after sitting in an F1 car whilst recording around the Silverstone complex.

According to reports, Ginge and his peers were alleged to have broken part of a display vehicle.

The local lad claimed they had been asked to pay £30,000 in compensation; national outlet talkSPORT has since confirmed the story with Northampton Police (NP) via an official statement.

“On Friday, July 4, NP received a report that a classic Formula 1 car on display at Silverstone Circuit during the British Grand Prix event had sustained several thousands of pounds worth of damage, which was alleged to have been caused by someone accessing the display stand and climbing into the vehicle.

“Officers carried out initial inquiries, and suspects were identified. Three men, aged 23, 25 and 27, were arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage to a vehicle and taken into police custody.

“Following a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the incident, all three men were released with no further action.”

He and his friends have at least seen the funny side, sharing snaps from outside Northampton Justice Centre; Ginge even played ‘Locked Up’ by Akon as he walked out on stream in an orange jumpsuit.

Burtwhistle went into more detail on the incident on socials, explaining that the trio were taken away in handcuffs and “locked up” for several hours – 15 hours, according to SamHam (Samuel Imie).

All three individuals deny causing any damage to the racecar, even despite users sharing clips from the livestream footage captured for the Red Bull online Content on the day that many argue incriminates them, or at least sounds like it – we’ll let you watch and decide for yourselves.

Ginge himself went on to detail that ridculousness of the situation, explaining how he was effectively detained for watching someone else climb into the vehicle.

He’ll be dining out in this one for some time, you can be sure of that.

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Featured Images — Soccer Aid/angryginge13 (screenshot via Twitch)/Samham (via X)

News

Boxing legend Ricky Hatton is coming out of retirement after more than a decade

Danny Jones Danny Jones Ricky Hatton coming out of retirement for middleweight fight

Mancunian and British boxing legend Ricky Hatton MBE is coming out of retirement after more than a decade for his first competitive fight in 13 long years.

This is sure to be one to watch.

The Stockport-born and Hattersley-raised fighter first retired back in 2011, but did flirt with a comeback a year later in what turned out to be a one-off fight and defeat to 35-year-old Ukrainian welterweight, Vyacheslav Senchenko.

‘Hitman’ Hatton also got back in the ring for an exhibition match against Marco Antonio Barrera in 2022, enduring eight two-minute rounds after a decade away from fighting, but now he’ll be undertaking an official fight over in the United Arab Emirates.

Lacing up his gloves at 46 years old, Hatton will be facing fellow veteran Eisa Al Dah (same age), who was the first professional boxer in the UAE.

The ‘Pride of Hyde’ may have been out of the competitive sporting sphere for a while, but he’s still remained an active figure in the boxing world.

In addition to training his son, Campbell, who has followed in his father’s fighting footsteps, Hatton has continued to coach other young boxing talents from his gym in Tameside, including John Hedges and Chloe Watson.

Campbell, 24, has won 14 of his 16 fights, losing just twice since he began in 2021.

Meanwhile, his dad – who still boasts a record of 45 victories from 48 matches, 32 of which were by knockout – will be once again focusing on getting himself back in fighting shape for the Dubai bout.

The local athlete has done plenty to dispel the old jabs of ‘Ricky Fatton’ in recent times, mind you, having taken his talents as a once-promising young footballer to play in the Manchester Remembers charity match, as well as the aforementioned Barrera exhibition.

Set for this winter, Ricky Hatton will face fellow veteran Eisa Al Dah in a middleweight contest on Friday, 2 December, telling national media via video call in the recent press conference that confirmed he would be coming out of retirement: “What you’re trying to do there for boxing in Dubai is fantastic.”

Meanwhile, Al Dah added: “It will be a true fight, true action. And I will do my best, because everybody in the UAE and the Gulf, they will watch this fight. The place will be sold out, and it will be watched around the world.”

Will those Haymakers still hit like they used to? Well shall see before the end of the year.

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Featured Images — Russell Harry Lee (via Flickr)/Eisa Al Dah (screenshot via Instagram)

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