Salford City FC have issued a statement expressing their disappointment with Yorkshire Police and the force’s final decision regarding a racist incident earlier this year.
Local authorities in the region opened an investigation into allegations of racism and verbal abuse during a pre-season game between Salford and York City FC back in July.
Now, just over a month later, North Yorkshire Police have concluded their investigation and decided not to pursue charges against the accused individual – an outcome that SCFC have not taken lightly.
Issuing an extensive and frustrated response online, they wrote: “Salford City Football Club is extremely disappointed with the findings of the investigation by North Yorkshire Police (NYP), and the subsequent decision not to charge the individual responsible for the racist abuse aimed at Adebola Oluwo.”
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“It is particularly concerning how the investigation concludes that there is no evidence to corroborate the report of abuse, despite a number of first-hand accounts of the abuse from those present at the fixture.
“This includes [by] the match officials, who we know, through discussions with the Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO), gave verbal statements on the night and provided their details for the investigating team to follow up, but have not been contacted.”
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Oluwo signed for Salford this summer from Barnet FC on a two-year deal, but sadly faced racist abuse before his debut season with the club had even begun.
The 25-year-old explained how “monkey noises” were made in his direction; sitting down with various other senior figures from within the club and around the administration, he and the likes of head coach Karl Robinson made it clear that this kind of treatment is simply unacceptable.
We urge you to watch this in full.
The club statement continues: “Having spoken with Adebola and sought further advice on the matter, including legal, we will be exercising the Victims’ Right to Review Scheme to request an independent review to reconsider this outcome.
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“Our players, coaching staff, members and everybody at our Club stand united with Adebola, and we have also engaged the English Football League (EFL), the Professional Footballers ‘ Association (the players’ union), and Kick It Out, who have all offered their full and unequivocal support for the review application.
“The match officials, supported by their governing body PGMO, remain available to be contacted to provide their impartial accounts of events that evening. We will pursue every available avenue to ensure accountability, and together send a clear message that racism has no place in our sport.”
SCFC sign off by insisting that they will be adding no further comment, but supporters, both local and beyond, have certainly had plenty to say online.
York City themselves made it clear at the time that everyone assosciated with the fellow Northern side categorically “condemns racism in all forms” and assured they would cooperate with Salford and the police service on the investigation.
York City Football Club are horrified to learn of allegations of racial abuse aimed at Salford City players in this evening’s pre-season match.
Both clubs, alongside the match officials, decided to take both teams off the pitch at that time.
While it is distressing to learn that NYP won’t be proceeding with the hate crime that was so openly and emotionally acknowledged by both teams, ‘The Minstermen’ did reiterate that the 23-year-old arrested at the time “will face the strongest possible sanctions from the club.”
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In terms of the update from ‘The Ammies’, one user replied: “North Yorkshire police? Failure to bring charges? Suggesting [a] lack of evidence? Nooooooo, never. They don’t seem the type.”
Another added: “Was this case referred to the CPS [Crown Prosecution Service], who decided not to charge; or did North Yorkshire Police not refer it to them for a decision? Tough to know who to be p***ed-off with until that is clear.”
We can only echo the post shared by Salford City FC and stress how disheartening it is to still see situations like this arising. It also goes without saying that we send our support to Adebola Oluwo and everyone at the club during this difficult time.
Not only is ‘the beautiful game’ for everyone, but the only way we can ever even hope for racism to be completely kicked out of football is for decisive, consistent and punitive action to be taken in moments like this and more often, as we know the number of incidents that occur is far higher than those reported.
Featured Images — Emessem T/Salford City FC (screenshot via YouTube)
Sport
Location for new Manchester United stadium announced after club secures land for the build
Danny Jones
The location for Manchester United’s brand-new stadium has been officially revealed just over a fortnight on from the football club securing the land after more than a year of disputes.
Man United’s ‘New Trafford’ is set to be a state-of-the-art sporting ground with a roughly 100,000-seater capacity, not only becoming the largest in the UK but rivalling all other industry-leading arenas around the world.
While there’s been plenty of speculation about funding for the redevelopment, the proposed designs, and the aforementioned plot for the massive project, serious forward momentum can finally begin now that the latter has been resolved.
That being said, the INEOS ownership group, board of executives and partnered Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) have now confirmed where exactly the site for Old Trafford 2.0 will be situated, not to mention some new CGIs.
Put in the simplest terms, the work will be centred around the Wharfside area, with the native council and Freightliner both having, at long last, greenlit the plans in principle.
The Old Trafford Regeneration Mayoral Development Corporation (OTRMDC) and dedicated Taskforce – on which Mayor and seemingly soon-to-be Prime Minister Andy Burnham has served since its inception – are set to create a fresh ‘Stadium District’ across the 150 hectares of space in Stretford.
Revolving not only around the current Metrolink tram stop and other accessible Bee Network routes, but sitting approximately just 350 metres North of the existing ‘Theatre of Dreams’, the blueprints go far beyond just creating newer and bigger stands that are easily reachable.
As per an official MUFC statement, “the vision is for a diverse neighbourhood creating 48,000 local jobs and 15,000 new homes, with the new stadium as the catalyst. Together, the mixed-use developments across 150 hectares have the potential to offer a £7.3bn-per-annum boost to the UK economy.”
Promising to maintain key aspects of nearby heritage, traditions and matchday rituals, be a walk from Pomona to a favourite food truck, or supporters making their way down the Quays and the River Irwell, they’ve even put together a video of what they hope this next chapter for Trafford will look like.
Safe to say, the GMCA, United and everyone involved have pretty ambitious ideas when it comes to a fresh era for the borough and the surrounding section of Stretford and bordering Salford.
Local Council Leader Tom Ross, Leader of Trafford Council, said of this most recent update: “We are delighted to introduce the masterplan which starts a long journey to piece together what could happen where, to bring this world-class cultural and sporting destination to life.
“We want to create a great place to be, not just on matchdays but every day – and we’re looking for as many residents and businesses as possible to help us to shape this vision, through our forthcoming consultation process.
“Wharfside will become a network of attractive neighbourhoods in which to live, work, wander, explore, relax with family, enjoy nature and wildlife, meet friends, eat out, have a drink, shop and be entertained.”
He goes on to add that besides the obvious additions to the matchday experience, this will effectively become the city region’s latest neighbourhood, delivering new parks and waterside spaces, housing including affordable options, and even new health and educational facilities.
Twinned with the obvious transport links and proximity to other key parts of Greater Manchester, this could be one of the biggest overhauls the North West has seen in decades; you can see more down below. What do you make of it all?
Our proposed new home will sit at the heart of a new stadium district ❤️🏟️
Featured Images — Publicity pictures via Manchester United Football Club
Sport
Prime Minister set to announce extra bank holiday if England win the 2026 World Cup
Danny Jones
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly set to announce an extra bank holiday if England win the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
What a way to sign off from the highest office in Great Britain, eh?
According to Sky News journalist Beth Rigby, the outgoing PM is expected to reveal an extended period of celebration across the country if/should/WHEN (you’ve got to believe) the Three Lions reach this year’s World Cup final and lift the biggest prize in global sport.
Starmer may be gearing up to leave No. 10 Downing Street soon, but he can certainly earn himself a few more points in the pros column should this familiar rumour come to fruition.
The PM is planning to announce a bank holiday if England win the World Cup. Final is the day before handover of power day on July 20. PM expected to confirm bank holiday if England reach the final, with the likely date set to be July 24. Dare to dream!
As Rigby states in her post on X, this decision would fall just before the transition in leadership, with Greater Manchester’s own Mayor Andy Burnham all but confirmed at the head of the table already within the Labour Party cabinet.
Regarding the still only potential bank holiday – Thomas Tuchel’s side still need to make it through the quarter-final and the semis, remember – the Sky reporter states that the following Friday, 24 July, is the most likely date.
Understandably, plenty on social media are already rejoicing over the prospect, but some aren’t content with waiting a week to carry on the post-trophy lift party, with many arguing that it should be the Monday morning immediately after the final next Sunday (19/2/2026).
Let’s be honest, there’ll be lots of people pulling sickies regardless of whether or not their bosses are left to grant a day off.
Many have already rightly argued that such decisions should have been made in the past after the Lionesses won not just one but two back-to-back European Championships; we’re willing to forgive and move on if the powers that be make it happen this time.
Starmer recently said that despite always believing England will “go all the way”, he didn’t want to jinx anything, simply telling the BBC’s Chris Mason: “Ask me again if we make the final.”
Either way, the general jubilation should England end 60 ‘years of hurt’ will be nothing short of colossal, and it would only feel right given the sheer gravity of the would-be achievement.
We’re even getting excited merely by the idea of some additional and, at present, strictly hypothetical pre- and post-match entertainment…
Danny Jones -
24th September 2025 
