Stockport County fans have been left with an early lump of coal in their Christmas stockings this festive period as loanee and first-team favourite Louie Barry has been recalled by Aston Villa.
After the announcement was delivered this past weekend, Barry is set to return to hisparent club in January, leaving him with just three games left before he has to say goodbye to the Hatters.
Having impressed not only in his debut campaign with Stockport but going on to hit even greater heights to emerge as their star player this season, he’s quite literally been the match-winner more times than supporters will care to count as they prepare to bid him a reluctant goodbye.
Breaking the news to the Edgeley Park faithful on Sunday evening, the update may have been inevitable but it still came as a no less painful one that has frustrated many who believe it’s a “poor from Villa” and “unfair” both on the player and the club who desperately rely on him.
Having taken his goal contribution tally from 13 in 20 games throughout 2023/24 to having notched 15 goals and three assists in 22 appearances this season so far, there can be no question that Barry has found a comfortable second home at the League One club.
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It’s come as a hard one to take for the fans who are all too aware of his potential. One person joked, “Thanks villa that’s just ruined my Christmas, All the best Louie”; another simply said, “Are you taking the p***?”, while a third dubbed him a “County legend”.
Many merely mustered the old adage, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened. Thank you”, but to sum up the overall feeling, they’re simply “gutted” to be losing the super talented youngster.
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One person even went so far as to write: “An absolute box office footballer and a pleasure to watch live Up there with Anthony Pilkington as the most talented footballer I’ve ever seen in a County shirt Thoroughly enjoyed every moment of watching him, will follow his career with great interest.”
Even fans of other teams have been sharing their sympathy, with more than one echoing the sentiment: “An absolute shame. Been brilliant for you but his talents do lie at a higher level. Presume he will be loaned to a Championship team for the second half of the season.”
In fact, there were plenty of Villa fans to be found in the comments too, all debating whether or not this will prove to be a “mistake”, with several asking “Why upset his rhythm?”.
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I'm a villa fan and I agree. I think he should have seen the season out with Stockport. Then next season put him in the championship whether with you guys or not. He's only 21 there's plenty of time
With the Birmingham-based side sitting in the European places once again in the top flight this season, the assumption is that Barry will most likely be loaned once again only to a Championship club to see at what level his ability is currently at.
Just as County will now be wishing they had, there’ll be plenty looking to snap the 21-year-old up on a permanent deal should they get the chance, with Leeds, Middlesborough and both Sheffield clubs all said to be interested.
On the other hand, with the Villans still in multiple competitions, they could be looking to bolster their squad with more numbers and given the success of youngsters like high-flying Jhon Durán, Morgan Rogers and Jacob Ramsey, they could be hoping to integrate him into the matchday squad.
However, the worry is that if he does stay at Villa Park and try to fight for first-team minutes, he could end up wasting valuable time sat waiting on the bench rather than continuing to thrive as he was at Stockport County. Regardless, the only saying still rings true: never get attached to a loan player…
Do you think Louie Barry was right to be recalled or is it a misstep from Villa?
Manchester City complete the signing of highly-rated forward Omar Marmoush
Danny Jones
Manchester City have completed their third signing of the January transfer window as Omar Marmoush is officially a blue.
Joining Man City from Eintracht Frankfurt on a deal said to be worth around £59 million, he arrives at the Etihad just 48 hours after new defensive duo Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis were also revealed.
Agreeing to a four-and-a-half-year contract, Marmoush was the second-highest scorer in this current Bundesliga campaign (15), boasting 20 goals and 14 assists across all competitions already, so City fans can certainly expect plenty of attacking threat.
The fast and dynamic forward has mainly been deployed as a striker for Frankfurt but can play as inserted winger on either flank, giving Pep Guardiola‘s side another option.
Donning one of football’s most iconic shirts with the number seven (which has been vacant ever since Joao Cancelo left the club), the 25-year-old landed in Manchester with plenty of excitement as City were by no means the only Premier League outfit looking to secure his services.
Both Arsenal and Liverpool were said to be monitoring his situation as one of the most sought-after targets in Europe – the latter obviously rumoured to have expressed a vested interest given the impending departure of their talisman, Mo Salah.
‘The Egyptian King’ has been one of if not the best player in the league this season with 18 goals and a baker’s dozen assists so far but informed the leaders in this year’s title race that this would be his last year at the club.
Those sentimental enough amongst the red half of Merseyside were naturally hoping his compatriot Marmoush might make an ideal replacement and follow in the 32-year-old’s footsteps for the years to come, but the blue half of Manchester seem to have led the chase right from the off.
Nevertheless, Salah has more than left his mark on English football and his fellow national teammate has already been given the perfect nickname.
Speaking in his first interview as a City player, Marmoush said: “Representing my country at a big club like this was something I always dreamed of. [Now] my dreams are becoming a reality of being [the first Egyptian] at Manchester City and I hope I can keep up this level.
“The Premier League is for us in Egypt the biggest league and the most followed league because of my team-mates like Mo Salah and other Egyptian players that have played in the Premier League.
“Most of the players growing up, our dream is to be here and that is why it makes me so happy that I am here to reach this beautiful league.”
Elsewhere at the club, a loan deal for Kyle Walker to join AC Milan with an option to buy also looks to be all but done. Happy with the transfer business done so far, Blues?
The 2025/26 Premiership Women’s Rugby season has been delayed
Danny Jones
The next Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) season has been officially delayed by nearly three weeks.
Announced on Tuesday, 21 January, the decision has been taken in an effort to help promote the Women’s Rugby World Cup (WRWC), the proximity of which is rather close to the national union championship competition.
With sporting bodies also trying to nurture a growing interest in female rugby, the start of the next PWR season will be pushed back not only to give players more time to rest but in an effort to drive a larger audience to the WRWC as well, the final of which is being played here in England.
The hope is that it will also better the Red Roses’ chances of winning the international tournament in turn – fingers firmly crossed.
Get excited 🤩
The PWR 2025-26 Season will officially kick off on Saturday 25th October PLUS the PWR Cup will return 🙌
The conclusion of the international tournament is taking place at Twickenham Stadium in London on 27 September, just days before the 2025/26 Premiership season was due to start.
Local side Sale Sharks are sadly at the bottom of the table this current campaign, which kicked off on 5 October 2024 and ends this March, but with eyes already on the WRWC the focus for lots of players in the division will no doubt already be shifting.
Not only is the domestic women’s rugby season being delayed by nearly three whole weeks – meaning the first games won’t happen until 25 October – but this comes after the current schedule of fixtures was also reduced with player recovery in mind ahead of the World Cup.
Speaking to BBC Sport, the PWR’s operations manager, Amy Walmsley, said: “The Rugby World Cup is a generational moment for women’s rugby and will create a huge opportunity for both PWR and our clubs to grow and celebrate with their fans.
“The optimum time between the Rugby World Cup Final and our first league match will ensure we capitalise on what we already know will be the biggest and best World Cup ever, while also ensuring player welfare with adequate rest across the season.”
The stats back it up too as 2024 saw numerous milestones for the women’s game; in addition to record crowds at the Olympics, last year’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations was the most viewed on record with 8.1 million fans tuning in, not to mention an increased interest among 18-24-year-olds.
You can find the run-down of the Sale Sharks Women fixtures below:
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝘂𝗻 𝗜𝗻
All of our fixtures for the 24/25 season are locked in. Let's bring that Northern roar to every game #SharksFamily 🦈
As for the final of the Premiership Women’s Rugby, the date has been reverted to its usual window in June, which should also fit within what congestion remains.
Nevertheless, with the Women’s Six Nations in late April and England – who have won all but one of their last 51 games – set to begin their World Cup on 22 August, the margins are still going to be somewhat fine if they are to head into the tournament in the best shape possible.
With the tickets selling extremely well, the expectation is that the Rugby World Cup final break is set to break the world record for the best-attended women’s rugby fixture in history.
In the meantime, Greater Manchester is gearing up for the men’s action as the Six Nations gets underway at the end of this month and the city is boasting the perfect place to watch it.
Danny Jones -
23rd December 2024 
