The Lionesses have issued a statement responding to Lauren James’ red card this past Monday after she stamped on Nigeria player, Michelle Alozie.
James had been one of the England women’s team‘s best players all tournament, registering three goals and three assists in as many games during the 2023 Women’s World Cup, but suffered a rare moment of madness when she decided to stamp on her opponent while on the ground.
Sarina Wiegman’s side went on to win the game 4-2 on penalties but very nearly could have been knocked out after being reduced to 10 players, with many comparing the ‘unacceptable’ and ‘foolish’ act to David Beckham’s back in 1998.
While little had come out from the England camp following the incident, the team has now issued a full statement, expressing Lauren‘s regret and assuring that they would accept whatever punishment FIFA ultimately hands down.
The official Lionesses statement on Lauren James’ red card.
“Lauren is really sorry for her actions which led to the red card and is full of remorse. It is wholly out of character for her”, said the England women’s team.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We will be supporting Lauren throughout and will be putting forward representation on her behalf. We fully respect FIFA‘s disciplinary process and will not be making any further comment until after any decision has been made.”
The England and Chelsea star, 21, was already been banned for the next game against Colombia in the quarter-finals on Saturday, 12 August at 11:30, but it has not been confirmed that she has been issued with a two-match ban, meaning she will miss the quarters and semi-final.
ADVERTISEMENT
If handed a three-match ban, it would see her miss the rest of the World Cup and the Lionesses will be without one of their best players. As for James herself, she apologised directly to the Nigerian international, who gave an admirable measured and reasonable response considering the circumstances.
The WSL forward assured that she is “sorry what happened” and promises to “learn from the experience”.
Whether or not England will make it all the way to the final for her make one last appearance in this tournament, especially following the Lionesses’ own condemnation of the behaviour, remains to be seen.
ADVERTISEMENT
All they can do is put it behind them and know that the country is well and truly behind them. Either way, we believe — it’s coming home.
Featured Image — Lionesses/Lauren James/BBC Sports (via Twitter)
Sport
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
Sport
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Danny Jones -
8th August 2023 
