Sport
Some fans want Johnny Evans back on a one-year deal as he joins Manchester United for pre-season
No, you haven't got back in time, Johnny Evans is back at United. Kind of...
Many Manchester United fans might have thought they scrolled too far back when they saw former defender Johnny Evans’ name on the team sheet against Lyon on Wednesday, but after joining Erik ten Hag’s team for pre-season on a short-term contract, a fair few Reds want him to stick around.
Johnny Evans left Man United way back in 2015 after being sold by then manager Louis van Gaal and despite not having played in Red for the best of a decade, the manager and the club welcomed back the former cult favourite back to Carrington earlier this month.
With Evans now without a club after his contract at Leicester expired, bringing his five-year stay at the King Power to an end, he needed a place to work on his fitness as he prepares for the next move of his career and so ten Hag saw no problem with signing him on a short-term deal for pre-season.
In fact, it seems he is a pretty big fan of Evans and jumped at the chance to temporarily re-sign him, describing the defender as a “really experienced player but also a very good person, a big personality, and I think he has big authority as well.” It seems he’s not the only one thinking it either.
Another person tweeted: “I mean if I’m honest as long as the wages aren’t ridiculously high then I actually don’t see the harm in it. I’m not saying it’s what we need but I don’t think he’d be playing too much more a player-coach role perhaps. I’m not too fussed but whatever EtH wants I’ll back.
The Northern Irishman might be 35 now, but he has still managed to captain a decent top-flight side for several seasons, has won the Premier League three times and has a Champions League medal. You don’t find many players with that kind of experience just hanging around.
Many supporters were gutted to see Evans be let go by van Gaal to begin with and even Sir Alex Ferguson is reported as having said he “could not believe” the ex-United sold him in the first place.
Naturally, there are still plenty that are much more sceptical about the proposition and aren’t all that pleased to see him coming along for pre-season either, with many seeing it as “a lack of ambition” from the club in stark contrast to the likes of City who are bolstering their already solid backline.
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Whether or not Evans genuinely “impressed” ten Hag enough as reported to be considered as a potential backup remains to be seen, but with Harry Maguire supposedly on his way out, United could certainly do with another squad player in defence.
The England international was applauded for how he handled losing his captaincy earlier this month and looks like he still wants to fight for his place, but has already been linked with the likes of West Ham, Everton and even a return to Leicester himself.
Speaking of the Toffees, a recently deleted video on their social media might put any rumours of Johnny Evans extending his Man United return beyond pre-season to bed as a coach can seemingly be heard suggesting that he’s Merseyside-bound.
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Featured Image — Manchester United (via Twitter)
Sport
Everton manager Sean Dyche randomly pops up in the music video for Blossoms’ new single – and he’s great
Danny Jones
Did anyone else think they’d ever see Sean Dyche make his acting debut in the role of a Northern crime boss in a silly little music video for the Blossoms?
No, us neither but that’s the bizarre alternate reality we’re living in, apparently.
Blossoms are currently working on the fifth studio album and have already released their lead single entitled, ‘To Do List (After The Break-Up)’, but now they have a new song out as well, with a rather amusing music video to go along with it and somehow Sean Dyche has found himself the star.
The Stockport band teased the curious collaboration in April, giving us just short glimpses of the Everton manager and former Burnley boss with very little explanation – all we know is that it looked funny and it was.
Dyche is still busy trying to finish the Premier League campaign as strong as possible after successfully navigating the Toffees to safety even in spite of their points deductions this season, but it sounds like keeping them up has given him enough time to moonlight as an actor.
Sending the indie five-piece on a mission to collect something of value (yes, that’s all the info we have at this point as the story is still to be continued), it looks like the Kettering-born coach has a larger role to play in whatever this narrative turns out to be.
Playing what can only be described as some kind of semi-Manc mafia figure on the hunt for a very valuable piece of art, i.e. a big giant gorilla statue – one that many Stopfordians spotted being lugged around various parts of the borough –
They also shared a little bit of BTS footage from the shoot for the music video last week. Some lovely head-bobbing and unassuming surroundings here:
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As for the track itself, it’s a bit of stylistic change for the lads who’ve mastered their 80s-tinged indie formula over the past decade but it’s an absolute pop and is already stuck in our heads.
Revealing that they’ve collaborated with contemporary funk, disco and electronic icons Jungle on the track, it doesn’t take too long to hear the influences. Look forward to hearing it at Wythenshawe Park this summer.
You can watch the music video for ‘What Can I Say?’ and the ginger-goatee’d football manager extraordinaire in full character HERE.
He’s not the only footballing figure who’s made an entertainment crossover recently either.
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Featured Images — Blossoms (via YouTube)/Virgin EMI
Sport
Tributes paid to former Manchester City winger Ian Mellor, dead at 74
Danny Jones
Tributes are pouring following the death of former Manchester City star, Ian Mellor, who has sadly passed away at the age of 74.
Mellor, from Sale in Greater Manchester, played as a left winger for Man City as well as the likes of Norwich City, Brighton, Chester, Sheffield Wednesday and Bradford.
With his family and former club confirming the death on Wednesday, 1 May, social media has been awash with people paying their respects to the seasoned ex-pro who sadly died following a long battle with amyloidosis, a rare and incurable disease which affects organs such as the heart, brains and kidneys.
Replying to his son and ex-Liverpool turned Sky Sports broadcaster, Neil Mellor, the club paid their respects to the former Blue who made 50 appearances for the club.
Mellor began his career just down the road at Wythenshawe Amateurs before going on to represent City from 1970 to 1973.
A boyhood fan of the club, he scored 10 goals whilst wearing Sky Blue and also went on to win the Charity Shield with them back in 1972.
Eventually nicknamed ‘Spider’ for a good chunk of his career due to his long-legged stature, he remained attached to the beautiful game for years after his retirement and went on to become a committee member for the Former Players Association at City.
Joining the likes of all his former clubs, Chester City said: “Everyone at [the club] is saddened to hear of the passing of Ian Mellor. Sending all our love to you and your family, Neil Mellor.
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His son Neil’s goodbye has touched many online too, calling his dad his “hero” and his “everything”.
He also went on to thank locally-based end-of-life care organisation and charity, St Ann’s Hospice, who have facilities all over Greater Manchester and who helped care for Ian in his final days.
Our thoughts are with his friends and family as well as those whose lives he touched through football during this difficult time.
Rest in peace.
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Featured Images — Manchester City/Neil Mellor (via X)
