The padel craze is slowly taking over the country and Europe at large and with Manchester now home to multiple clubs, we’re now preparing to host our first-ever pro-am tournament too.
Unveiled just last month, the new Pure Padel location over in Cheetham Hill is just the second site opened by the growing sporting brand which started out at nearby Alderley Park in Macclesfield and is now set to take the city centre by storm.
Debuting as the sport’s only indoor facility in Manchester, it’s already set itself apart from the equally popular competition and is about to create an even bigger buzz by welcoming the official Pro Am Padel Tour to the region for the very first time – plus some familiar faces.
With the likes of sports personalities such as John Terry, Danni Wyatt, Theo Walcott; Bobby Zamora, Jos Buttler, Mark Noble and Carly Telford, as well as celebrities Jeff Brazier, Spencer Matthews, Kem Cetonay and many more having played in the past, the word is getting out about the competition.
Pro-am tournaments take place all over the world in other spheres such as golf, snooker and tennis, pitting professionals from within the discipline against amateurs – and, in this case, both current and former athletes from different sports – against each other in a series of exhibition matches.
Think celebrity boxing match or a charity football game, only you can actually pick up a trophy at the end of this one.
ADVERTISEMENT
Put simply, the Pro Am Padel Tour pairs Britain’s top padel professionals with high-profile guests from the worlds of sport and entertainment for a thrilling, round-robin tournament.
Having launched back in April 2023, the competition is still in its infancy but has already seen some big names and their upcoming Manchester event is expecting even more.
Confirmed celebrities this time around include Olympic swimmer Matt Richards, retired Lioness and Manchester City legend Jill Scott; former England footballer and pundit Joleon Lescott, as well as Man United alumni Phil Jones and Katie Zelem.
ADVERTISEMENT
Where the first and only pro-am padel tournament in Manchester will be taking place this year. (Credit: Pure Padel via Instagram)
More sports personalities and celebrity guests are expected to be confirmed soon but even now, there are plenty of names we’d like to see with a racquet in their hands and see just how good they are at the fast-paced court sport.
Scheduled to start at 11am on Wednesday, 20 November, the 2024 Pro Am Tour Manchester edition will be an all-day event and while it is an exclusive event, you can keep an eye on their socials for content from the matches.
Paul Scholes blasts Ruben Amorim for ‘bull****’ response to Kobbie Mainoo question
Danny Jones
Club legend Paul Scholes has called out Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim for what he dubbed a “bull****” reaction to a question from a journalist regarding Kobbie Mainoo on Thursday.
The Portuguese coach saw his Premier League win rate clock in at just under 44% (the lowest of any Man United manager for, let’s just say, some time) after the 1-1 home draw against West Ham.
Conceding a late goal against the Irons, who are currently sat in the relegation zone, the Red Devils ultimately dropped another two points against a side that they should be beating, both based on present form and if they have any hopes of competing for the top spots.
Unsurprisingly, Amorim was pressed on why he didn’t make a more offensive substitution to try and claw back the victory, to which he then asked what looked to be a somewhat loaded question and gave this reaction after the response:
The laughter, in particular, hasn’t gone down well with everyone, especially the Class of ’92 graduate and retired midfielder.
Jumping on social media after the quotes from the Amorim press conference were out, Scholes posted on his Instagram story: Bull****. This kid is being ruined, not being played in a team that can’t control a game of football.”
He went on to add: “Hate seeing homegrown players leave, but it’s probably best for him now – enough is enough.”
First off, Reds – do you agree?
It isn’t the first time Scholes has levelled criticism at Amorim, his tactics, management and overall coaching style, having said this of their previous appointment at Old Trafford.
Paul Scholes on Ruben Amorim's tactics against 10-man Everton which frustrated him 😬 pic.twitter.com/AgsESuH83h
Safe to say he isn’t his biggest supporter at the moment.
Fellow former teammate and England international turned pundit, Gary Neville, was also left not just confused but frustrated by the performance, telling Sky Sports in his post-match interview that he noted the camera picking up “real dejection” on the faces of the fans after the full-time whistle.
With an away trip against Wolves, a home match against Bournemouth, as well as travelling to face high-flying European place competitors, Aston Villa, before hosting Newcastle on Boxing Day, it’s anyone’s guess as to how the results will pan out.
You can see the highlights from Man United vs West Ham down below.
How many points do you see them picking up over the next four fixtures?
BBC releases first look of new drama series based on inspirational journey of England men’s football team
Emily Sergeant
First look images of a new BBC drama series based on award-winning play Dear England have been released.
The four-part series based on James Graham’s Olivier-award winning play of the same name tells the story of Gareth Southgate and the England men’s football team journey to renewed success, and it’s set to air on BBC One and iPlayer next year.
Dear England is a fictionalised account of the struggles and successes of England’s football teams, based on extensive research and interviews.
The stage play premiered at the National Theatre to five-star reviews, winning an Olivier award for ‘Best New Play’, and enjoying a sell-out run in 2023 before it returned to the National Theatre earlier this year and then embarked on a national tour.
The first look images of new BBC series Dear England have been released / Credit: BBC
With the worst team track record for penalties in the world when he takes over as manager, Gareth knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt to take England back to the promised land.
The country that gave the world football has delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can’t the England team win at their own game?
Joseph Fiennes will reprise his Olivier award-nominated role as Gareth Southgate in the new series.
Joseph Fiennes will star as former manager Gareth Southgate / Credit: BBC
The first look pictures see Fiennes in his role for the first time in scenes depicting England’s triumphant Euro 2024 Semi-Final celebrations, where the men’s team reached their first final of a major tournament on foreign soil.
Fiennes is joined by Jodie Whittaker as England men’s team psychologist Pippa Grange, and Daniel Ryan as Steve Holland the former assistant manager, whilst Will Antenbring stars as Harry Kane, joined by an ensemble cast of upcoming actors as the rest of the team.
Among the squad cast is Adam Hugill, Josh Barrow, and screen newcomer Lewis Shepherd, who are all reprising their respective stage roles as Harry Maguire, Jordan Pickford, and Dele Alli.
Danny Jones -
6th November 2024 
