Sport

Macclesfield FC player Ethan McLeod tragically killed in car crash

Awful news.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 17th December 2025

Local footballer Ethan McLeod, who played for Macclesfield FC, has sadly died following a tragic car crash on the motorway.

The Birmingham-born player and former Wolves academy talent was driving back home from Macclesfield’s away game against Bedford Town on Tuesday night when he was involved in a collision along the M1.

Just 21 years old, the talented Cheshire-based forward was a substitute in the 2-1 win over the East Midlands side in the National League North.

The accident is said to have occurred at around 10:40pm on 16 December near Northampton after his white Mercedes collided with a barrier.

You can read the official Silkmen statement in full down below:

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“With the heaviest of hearts and an overwhelming sense of surrealism that Macclesfield FC can confirm the passing of 21-year-old forward Ethan McLeod.

Travelling back from Bedford Town last night, Ethan was involved in a car accident on the M1, which tragically took his life. Ethan was an incredibly talented and well-respected member of our First Team Squad, who had his whole life ahead of him.

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“But more than that, Ethan’s infectious personality endeared him to everyone that he came into contact with. In giving his all in everything he did, Ethan effortlessly pushed us all to be the best we can be – both on and off the pitch.

“Ethan’s professionalism and unwavering work ethic inspired everyone, and his lust for life put smiles on all our faces – even on the darkest of days. News of Ethan’s passing has devastated our entire Club, and no words can convey the immense sense of sadness and loss that we feel now.

“The deep mental scars elicited from Ethan’s passing will undeniably never heal”, they continued, “but one thing is for sure, and that is Ethan’s vibrant legacy will never fade, no matter how much time passes in the future.

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“Ethan will live in our hearts and minds forevermore, and no matter what the future holds, his unique smile that mesmerised us all will never be forgotten.

“Our deepest sympathy goes out to Ethan’s family and friends at this deeply traumatic time, together with an assurance that we will provide as much support as we can to those who need it. May you rest in peace, Ethan – you will forever be a Silkman.

His past clubs, as well as plenty of other teams, organisations and people in and around the footballing world, are paying tribute to the promising youngster.

Rest in peace.

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Featured Images — Wikimedia Commons/Macclesfield FC (via X)

Sport

Wigan Warriors finally reveal next season’s kits following update on delayed release

Danny Jones Danny Jones

Wigan Warriors have now officially revealed their new shirts for next season, following a much-anticipated update regarding the 2026 kits, the release of which had been delayed.

The Greater Manchester club lost this year’s Grand Final but still had a strong season, and with another local outfit having been relegated from the division, they are one of just two teams from the region competing for the title in the upcoming campaign.

However, supporters were fretting that they might not be able to get their new threads until after Christmas due to the launch of the latest merchandise being postponed.

Thankfully, this week, the club not only informed fans that things are getting back on schedule but also officially revealed the Wigan Warriors home and away shirt strips for the 30th anniversary edition of the Super League on Tuesday afternoon.

As you can see, the nearby rugby outfit is staying with Kappa as their manufacturer and, as ever, is sticking with the deep red, white and black colour combos across both jerseys.

Branding the home shirt as the ‘Loyal’ fit and the away one as their ‘Rebel’ version, the kits both feature horizontal stripes and other geometrical variations.

Most notably, Warriors now have a positive update on the status of the kits’ full launch, even if they don’t have an exact timeline just yet.

Writing to fans in an official statement, the club said: “Wigan Warriors are happy to report that [we are] expecting delivery of the 2026 home and away kits imminently.”

They go on to explain that they have been “experiencing significant delays” regarding the supply pipeline, which they say “were beyond the control of the Club.”

Nevertheless, the cogs are moving once again; you can see a closer look at some of the details below.

wigan warriors loyal shirt
The home shirt…
wigan warriors loyal kit
A.K.A. ‘Loyal’ kit
wigan warriors rebel away shirt
And the away jersey…
wigan warriors new away kit 2026
Or ‘Rebel’ strip

Warriors Chief Executive, Kris Radlinski, continued: “We want to thank everyone for their patience and continued support. Due to issues outside of our control, delivery timelines have unfortunately been impacted.

“We understand how frustrating this has been for supporters, particularly so close to Christmas, and we genuinely share that frustration. Please be assured that our team has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure delivery as quickly as possible.

“We apologise that we have not been able to provide an earlier update while matters were ongoing. We are pleased to confirm that the delivery has now cleared customs and will be arriving at the Club imminently.”

Although personalisation will not yet be made available due to a focus on processing “as many orders as possible in the shortest time frame”, pre-orders for both shirts are now live, and those interested are being urged to opt for click and collect/visit in store where possible to avoid any further waiting.

How do you rate the 2026 look, Wigan fans?

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Featured Images — Wigan Warriors (via online store)

Sport

Sale Sharks sign experienced Welsh international on a three-year deal

Danny Jones Danny Jones Welsh international prop Nicky Smith leaves Leicester Tigers and joins Sale Sharks

Sale Sharks have signed highly rated Welsh international Nicky Smith ahead of next season.

His arrival is the latest among a number of key new signings, not to mention some notable outgoings from Alex Sanderson’s setup.

Smith, 31, has signed a three-year deal with the Sharks after rounding out his contract and campaign with Leicester Tigers this year.

A seasoned rugby union prop with more than a dozen years of experience, he spent over a decade with the Ospreys back in Wales before making his first senior appearances in England in 2024, making his debut in March and going on to be named in the league’s team of the season in his inaugural Tigers term.

Coming to the CorpArq stadium with a great amount of experience, strength, and overall physicality, the powerful loosehead will get underway with Sale at the start of the 2026/27 season.

Swansea-born Smith spent his amateur rugby year with his hometown club, Waunarlwydd RFC, before representing Aberavon and eventually going pro with Ospreys by 2012.

He went on to play two centuries of games in the United Rugby Championship (URC) before finally introducing himself to the Gallagher Prem last year, making a total of 31 appearances for the East Midlands side and 10-time title winners.

With that in mind, it’s fair to say he’s proved a good fit for the division as well as for his national team, earning 59 caps for The Dragons.

Though many see his age bracket as the one where rugby players’ careers typically start to wind down, Smith is clearly confident that he has plenty more to give at this level.

Speaking on signing with the Sharks, Nicky said: “I spoke to Alex Sanderson, and I loved how ambitious he was about what the club wants to achieve. It’s really exciting to be joining a team that is so clear about wanting to win things and compete for every trophy.

“As an opposition player, Sale is always a really tough place to go, and as a forward, you know that you need to front up […] Sale have so many quality international players, especially in the front row, so I can’t wait to play and train with those lads because I know that will help my game.”

As for the Director of Rugby himself, ‘Al’ added: “Nicky has been one of the most aggressive, consistent, high-quality scrummagers in the Prem over the past couple of years.

“He’s caused us a lot of trouble when we’ve played Leicester in that period, and we’ve always felt that we’d love to have him here…” You read what else the pair had to say in the full club statement right HERE.

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Featured Images — Stefano Delfrate (via Flickr)

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