The shirt worn by former Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero when he scored the goal that clinched the club’s first league title in 44 years is to be sold at auction next week.
The historic Manchester City No.16 jersey worn the Argentine footballer – who played for the sky blues from 2011-2021 – when he scored the unbelievable winning goal v Queen’s Park Rangers in the fourth minute of extra-time at the Etihad Stadium in 2012 is being auctioned off to raise worthy funds for charity.
The shirt is set to go to auction exactly a decade after the iconic ’93:30′ moment – which has gone down in sporting history as one of the most dramatic winning goals of all time.
Set to be sold by Graham Budd Auctions (GBA), the “iconic” mud and champagne-stained shirt has an estimated guide price of £20,000-£30,000.
Although, experts at GBA expect it could sell for more than £46,000.
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GBA chief executive Adam Gascoigne said the shirt represented “one of the most important pieces in the history of the Premier League”.
The shirt being sold at auction comes after the striker himself – who won 15 major trophies in 10 years with Manchester City, and is the fourth-highest scoring player in Premier League history, with 184 goals in 275 games to his name – recently unveiled a statue marking the tenth anniversary of the goal.
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The enormous striking steel sculpture – which has been created by celebrated artist Andy Scott – has been installed pride of place outside the Etihad Stadium, and was officially unveiled to the public last Friday.
The shirt is being sold by Neville Evans, who owns the National Football Shirt Collection.
Mr Evans said in his Letter of Provenance that the shirt had come to him completely by chance, thanks to the forgetfulness of Aguero’s then-teammate, Mario Balotelli.
He said that when Manchester City’s players returned to the dressing room after being presented with the Premier League trophy on the pitch, Balotelli asked the Argentine for his shirt as a souvenir and Aguero agreed, so the Italian striker put the shirt in his kit bag, alongside a commemorative T-shirt, the shirt he had received in a swap with QPR’s Taye Taiwo and his playing shorts, but “then left the stadium without his bag”.
The shirt was found the following day and sent to the club’s training ground, but Balotelli never claimed it, and so it was gifted to the National Football Shirt Collection.
Mr Evans said he “never had any intention” of selling the shirt previously, but has decided to put it up for auction now as he wanted to support his collection’s curator – who was “requiring ongoing critical medical care”.
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Profits from the shirt sale will to Testicular Cancer UK and the Stroke Association.
The shirt will go under the hammer on Tuesday 24 May, and you can find more information about the listing on the Graham Budd Auctions (GBA) website here.
Exciting new CGIs released of £500m Therme Manchester wellness resort as construction continues
Emily Sergeant
As construction continues on Manchester’s massive wellness resort, some new CGIs have now been released.
In case you need bringing up to speed, construction of the £500 million Therme Manchester wellness resort officially began last September after several years of planning, and now developers have released some exciting new CGIs – with an update on how construction is going, as a new milestone has been reached this week.
Set to open to the public in 2029, Therme Manchester will become one of the largest urban wellbeing resorts in the world.
Visitors can expect to make the most of a 10 pools – both lagoon and wave pools included – thermal bathing, multi-sensory sauna rituals, steam rooms, 18 water slides, affordably-priced luxury spa therapies, and health and fitness experiences.
Exciting new CGIs released of Therme Manchester have been released / Credit: Supplied
At the heart of Therme Manchester will be three distinct zones, each offering a different way to spend time at the resort.
Play will bring together water-based fun and attractions for families and visitors of all ages, and Restore will focus on thermal bathing and restorative experiences designed to help visitors unwind, while Relax will offer spaces for relaxation and wellbeing.
The latest CGIs showcase the design as it develops – including the resort’s extensive indoor and outdoor spaces, and its 53,000sq ft wellbeing garden.
Construction is still underway on the £500m wellness resort / Credit: Supplied
The plans also feature a new public plaza designed to strengthen connections between the resort and the Bridgewater Canal.
Professor David Russell, CEO of Therme UK, said: “We have taken the opportunity to refine the design, improve how traffic and parking are managed and create a more welcoming environment for everyone arriving at the resort.
“We are creating an even better experience for visitors while supporting more efficient and sustainable operations.”
Therme Manchester was initially touted as a £250m project that would complete in 2025, but it’s now up to £500m and is scheduled to complete it 2029.
It marks one of the most significant building developments to ever take place in the North.
Featured Image – Supplied
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All students in England to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE
Emily Sergeant
All students in England are soon to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE.
Said to be part of the UK’s ‘enduring support’ for the Ukrainian community and continued commitment to stand with Ukraine and its people, young people in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will now have the opportunity to study for a new Ukrainian GCSE, the Government has announced.
While the qualification will be open to all students, it marks a ‘particularly significant’ milestone for Ukrainian children and young people living in the UK.
It’s hoped that the introduction of the new GCSE will help Ukrainians to preserve a vital connection to their language, culture, and identity.
It’s also hoped that it’ll open pathways to future education and employment for all pupils.
In line with the other modern foreign language GCSEs that are currently on offer, the qualification will assess listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, while also recognising the cultural and historical contexts that shape the Ukrainian language.
Examination board AQA will now begin the next phase of development, bringing together language and subject experts to design what will be a ‘high-quality’ qualification reflecting the richness of Ukrainian language and culture.
Education Secretary, Lucy Powell, commented: “As they build their lives here in the UK, it is right that Ukrainians and their children should have every opportunity to maintain that connection to their heritage and to be proud of who they are.
“This new qualification is available to all pupils and will give them the chance to develop their language skills and celebrate Ukraine’s rich culture and history, while also opening pathways to future study and employment and strengthening our partnership with Ukraine.
“Through that enduring partnership, we are building the lasting ties between our countries that will see the young minds of the future move forward together, and foster connections that transcend borders.”
The Ukrainian GCSE is expected to be available for first teaching from September 2028 – with first assessments taking place in 2029.
Emily Sergeant -
19th May 2022 
