Ex-Arsenal and England players Ian Wright and Kelly Smith recently helped do up a set of girls’ changing facilities in Greater Manchester as part of a national community football initiative.
The former forwards and club legends teamed up with the Barclays to restore some female football facilities in Cheetham Hill on Tuesday, 7 February, chipping in with everything from plastering and painting to helping a group of young girls with some training.
The BCFF is committed to helping reduce inequalities across UK football, with grants made available annually to various groups that wish to start offering football programmes or expand their existing ones to new, under-represented audiences.
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Primarily focusing on women’s sport and young people from lower socio-economic and under-represented groups, as well as racially diverse communities, people with disabilities, and people from the LGBTQ+ community, the fund is set to support thousand across the UK.
It is thought around 5,500 different community groups will receive a total investment of £1 million a year, engaging more than 300,000 young people in inclusive football activities.
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As for VIY, members are being actively trained in skills such as painting, plastering and carpentry whilst working on this first section in a longer three-month improvement project at Cheetham Hill Sports Club.
Wright, 59, said: “I just want every girl to be able to play football if they want to. There are so many things that women’s and girls’ football needs. First, they need the pitch and the coaches. They also need facilities where they can feel safe, secure and valued, just like the boys do.
“That’s why the BCFF is important; it’s giving money to local projects in communities around the UK. There’s no point just focusing on the elite game; this is where the love and dreams start. This kind of investment into grassroots is where it’s going to make a real difference.”
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Following the success of the Lionesses and their historic Euro 2022 win, Wright was one of the first express the importance of capitalising on the momentum building in female sport.
Delivering a powerful speech last summer, he said: “If there’s no legacy after this, then what are we doing? Girls should be able to play”.
"If there is no legacy after this, then what are we doing? Because girls should be able to play." 🗣
As for Smith, who knows all too well the obstacles women and young girls, especially, can face when it comes to getting into the world of sport, she clearly recognised the importance of the fund’s work.
“All I’ve ever wanted to do was play football. Growing up, I was kicked off my local team because I was a girl and there was no girls’ team to join. It was soul-destroying.
“Giving girls a space they belong in football will make a difference. That’s why this build at Cheetham Hill is important. It’s exactly what I wanted and needed as a kid.”
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Thankfully, with the help of similar schemes like the sustainable community pitch unveiled by Phil Foden and Ella Toone, not to mention Andy Burnham’s push to back more girls to get into football, plenty of young girls will have the tools and safe place to get playing in Manchester.
Man United to play Newcastle in Carabao Cup fourth round after Magpies knock out Man City
Danny Jones
Last season’s Carabao Cup winners, Man United, now know their opponents for the next round after Newcastle United beat Man City 1-0 on Wednesday night, meaning both 2022/23 finalists will once again be meeting each other.
Either way, Alexander Isak’s single goal in the game at St James’ Park was enough to see the Magpies make it past the treble-winners despite a dominant first-half display from the away side.
City had been on top throughout and had plenty chances of their own.
After receiving a yellow card during the game, the night ended with Guardiola fuming at referee Chris Kavanagh and exchanging more than a few words after the full-time whistle.
Clearing the moment up with reporters after the game, Pep said: “I don’t know how many fouls they did, how many fouls we had and the number of yellow cards, but it is what it is — sometimes the emotions are there. Respect for the referees and their job, a well-deserved yellow card.”
Nevertheless, the result has led to a repeat of last year’s culminating cup tie which, despite coming much earlier in the competition this time around, will see United facing off against a high-flying Newcastle team who just put eight goals past Sheffield United on this past Sunday.
The Magpies’ manager, Eddie Howe, has already said he and his side are aiming to “go one better” than they did last year and with the form they’re displaying at the moment — especially with United’s stuttering start — they stand a pretty good chance.
🗣 "We want to try and go one further if we can but there's a long way to go."
Elsewhere amongst the Premier League sides remaining in the competition, West Ham will host Arsenal, Bournemouth will play Liverpool at home and Sean Dyche’s Everton will play his old club Burnley.
Further down the footballing pyramid, Fulham visit Championship side Ipswich, Chelsea will host Blackburn and at least two other EFL sides will make it to the quarter-finals, with Mansfield at home to Port Vale and Exeter playing Middlesbrough.
All fourth-round ties are set to take place in the week commencing 30 October.
You can watch the highlights of Newcastle United vs Manchester City down below.
Featured Image — Man United/Man City/Newcastle United (via Instagram)
Sport
Someone’s imagined what a date night with different football managers would be like — and now we want to date Ian Holloway
Danny Jones
Someone on Twitter—sorry, X, has put together a hypothetical thread of what different football managers would be like on a date and we genuinely haven’t stopped laughing.
It’s times like these that we remember how much we love the internet.
The absolutely deviant genius behind this is a lady named Alexandra Haddow: a writer, comedian, columnist and self-proclaimed ‘fashion magpie’ who decided to turn her comic chops to the world of football and footy managers, specifically.
So, if you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to date, say, Pep Guardiola or Mikel Arteta, this may or may not give you some idea of what it might be like. I mean, not really but it’s hilarious and, we’ll warn you, it’s more than a bit naughty.
2. Kevin Keegan
Nice dinner in a decent pub, Babychams on him, both get accidentally leathered and join a group of people on a 40th birthday. One of the best nights out you’d had in years. Goes through you like a train in the morning
There’s a total of 15 different imaginary dates with 15 different football managers. Few rival Keegan’s satisfaction levels.
4. Pep Guardiola
Picks you up in his car & whisks you to a restaurant that nobody’s heard of but it’s about to be impossible to get into. Has one too many, leaves the car & has a row with the taxi driver on the way back to yours. Fresh coffee in the morning. You should call him
Sadly, Pep couldn’t perform in this fantasy fixture.
6. Gareth Southgate
Comes round to yours with a lovely bottle of wine and makes his own pasta from scratch. You spend all night chatting and open up to him about your relationship with your father, sharing things you’ve never told anyone. The next day you quit your job
We’d try and describe how we’re feeling after reading these but we’ve only just got up after fainting.
It goes without saying that these spicy takes aren’t only an absolute crease but they’ll probably get you more hot under the collar than all three Fifty Shades books combined.
We genuinely struggled to pick our favourite but her vision of going out with former Leicester, Blackpool and QPR coach, Ian Holloway, had us literally dripping with tears of laughter: “Takes you to life drawing & brings magic mushrooms for both of you. You get kicked out for giggling. Ends up a twilight stroll by the river with ice creams discussing philosophy & your favourite sweet wrappers. Quick one in the bushes on the way home for a laugh.”
Honestly, we could be here all day sharing these fiery fantasy dates but we’ll leave you to enjoy them at your own (p)leisure.
Big up Alexandra for putting her mind firmly in the gutter simply for our amusement. She’s also playing here in Manchester next month at Cane and Grain in Northern Quarter in case you fancy enjoying her funnies in person.
The London-based comic has been supporting Frankie Boyle on tour and has received rave reviews following this year’s Edinburgh Festival.
You can grab tickets for her ‘Not My Finest Hour’ show on 9 October HERE.
Last one, we promise. ‘Big Sam’ would be the ride of your life and you most likely wouldn’t survive…
9. Big Sam Allardyce
Takes you to a dog fight & you win big. Straight to Angus Steak House for a well done ribeye with all the trimmings. 18 pints & back to his. Shags you into another dimension. Cashes out the next day & you realise he put a bet on you’d go home with him at 3/1
Danny Jones -
8th February 2023 
