A year on from making it to their first-ever Netball World Cup final, England’s national team are set to bring the buzz of a home crowd to Manchester’s AO Arenalater this year.
Taking on Jamaica in November, England Netball – a.k.a. The Vitality Roses – will be helping kick off the brand-new Vitality Netball Horizon Series.
Marking the inaugural edition of the competition, the action will kick off with a pair of matches at the AO Arena before England travel to Jamaica for a further two games at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston.
Better yet, tickets for the fast-approaching fixtures go on sale this month.
Want to experience the buzz of live netball? ⚡️
🗓️ The Vitality Roses are next in action on home soil this November against @NetballJamaica!
EN members, don’t miss out on your exclusive early access window before general sale begins on 12 August 🎟️ pic.twitter.com/cJgfZFvLWd
As part of the new four-year tournament series between England and their Caribbean counterparts, there will be two games played in each country annually, and Manchester has been chosen as the city to get things started.
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With 0161’s own netball team Manchester Thunder being the second-most decorated club in the division, with four Super League titles to their name and having only narrowly missed out on a fifth to record-breaking Loughborough Lightning, it feels like the perfect fit.
As for the Jamaicans, commonly known as the ‘Sunshine Girls’ and currently ranked fourth in the world with a huge netball culture, they finished as bronze medallists in last year’s World Cup and will be looking to assert some pressure on the Roses over the course of this multi-year series.
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The first of two international meetings between England and Jamaica takes place on Saturday, 16 November, the second game taking place on the following Sunday.
The following double-header in Jamaica is scheduled for between 25-26 November, to reignite a long-standing rivalry in an exciting new format. You can watch what happened the last time the two sides met down below:
Speaking in an official announcement, Vitality Roses Head Coach Jess Thirlby said: “We’re excited to introduce this new and innovative Vitality Netball Horizon Series against the Sunshine Girls into our international competition calendar.
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“Both nations have enjoyed success at recent major tournaments with Jamaica taking silver at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022 and the Vitality Roses securing silver at the Netball World Cup in South Africa after making our first-ever World Cup final last summer.
The long and competitive history between us both, combined with a shared desire to shake up the world order makes for a tantalising match-up that fans can enjoy every year…
“We have enjoyed series wins at home against Jamaica in recent years which were over ten years in the making and always enjoy playing in these head-to-heads that deliver flamboyant, exciting netball and a showcase of high skill level from both sides. Here’s to more edge-of-your-seat netball as we embark on a new groundbreaking competition programme.”
Pre-sale access for the tournament is already live for England Netball members, who will receive an exclusive 10% discount, but general sale begins on Monday, 12 August from 10am.
You can be ready to buy your tickers for England Netball vs Jamaica at the AO Arena in Manchester HERE.
Featured Images — paddynapper (via Flickr)/AO Arena/England Netball (supplied)
Sport
Stockport County to introduce safe standing at Edgeley Park
Danny Jones
Stockport County will soon be introducing safe standing at Edgeley Park as part of the pending stadium development plans.
The Hatters may have just missed out on promotion to the Championship, but it’s still been an exciting few years for the club that has seen a fresh surge in young new supporters in addition to their passionate lifelong followers.
In more fantastic news for fans, County have announced that brand new safe standing sections will be installed across the ground.
Confirming the news on Wednesday, the club said: “After receiving all necessary approvals and working closely with safety authorities, we are set to install rail seating in two designated areas of the stadium.
Stockport County is thrilled to announce the introduction of safe standing areas at Edgeley Park ahead of the upcoming 2025/26 season.
Visit the club site for more details on this exciting new development ⤵️#StockportCounty
— Stockport County (@StockportCounty) May 28, 2025
As detailed on the club website, there will be two new dedicated safe-standing/rail-seated zones – one in each main stand: the back five rows of seats in the Cheadle End’s upper tier and the back two rows of the Vitality Railway End.
With Stockport Council greenlighting plans for League One side to expand their home capacity, this reconfiguration is set to accommodate a total of 849 County fans and/or supporters.
Although this all depends on final approval from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), the aim is to deliver a “vibrant and dynamic environment for both home and away fans at Edgeley Park.”
The official statement goes on to explain that the push for safe standing is not just to provide more matchday options for those in attendance, but in hopes of further “enhancing the atmosphere and improving the overall matchday experience for those who prefer to stand.”
Couty has insisted that “The rail-seating system incorporates a barrier for every seat, ensuring that supporters are protected from a sudden surge or crowd movement.”
Safe standing is part of the larger Stockport County stadium redevelopment plans.
Addressing early concerns in a ‘What This Means for You’ section, they go on to add: “Season ticket holders currently in the affected rows will be contacted directly by the Club over the coming weeks with details on their options, including relocating to a seated area if they prefer not to stand.
“Information regarding new season tickets and matchday tickets in the safe standing areas will be released in due course.
“We believe this is another significant step forward for Stockport County and will further enhance the already incredible atmosphere at Edgeley Park. We look forward to seeing and hearing the renewed energy in these new sections.”
The safe standing plan is set to be introduced for the upcoming 2025/26 season, with the administration hoping to make this their last in the third tier. Do you see them going up next year?
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Press Shot (via SCFC)
Sport
Rio Ferdinand is stepping away from TNT Sports after more than a decade
Danny Jones
Manchester United legend and ex-England international Rio Ferdinand has announced he will be stepping away from TNT Sports, leaving more than a decade with the broadcaster.
Ferdinand has spent the best part of the last 10 years serving as a leading pundit and analyst, as well as hosting his own ‘Rio Meets’ online series – the interview format of which has been replicated on his YouTube channel.
However, after having been one of their main anchors both under the BT Sport and even more so since the inception of the rebranded TNT Sports Football umbrella, the 46-year-old has confirmed he has now quit their regular coverage following the Champions League final this weekend.
In a lengthy statement on social media, the ex-Man United defender, who also played for Leeds, West Ham, Bournemouth and QPR, described it as a “difficult decision.”
Taking time to thank the network for their “tremendous support” over the years, especially those “behind the scenes, whose work often goes unseen but has been essential to our success.”
The talented centre-back retired in May 2015 after more than 500 appearances and 81 national team caps, making an almost immediate switch into punditry and remaining a household name.
Rio has also remained a popular figure at Old Trafford and, indeed, across various parts of Manchester since leaving United in 2014.
For instance, his self-titled Foundation has carried out some truly transformational local outreach across various boroughs, as it has back in his home city of London.
Responding to the news, TNT Sports said nothing more than “Thanks for everything, Rio”; meanwhile, fellow former Red, Danny Simpson (who retired last year and also works as a pundit/presenter for MUTV) added: “You’re going to be missed, bro. Every time you’re on, you give us all the mad insight.”
However, he has promised he will remain in the media industry, continuing to work under the Rio Ferdinand Presents digital brand and pursuing “other business interests”.
With his ‘Rio Reacts’ and ‘Vibe with FIVE’ series regularly raking in millions of views, he might not be on the box during European nights but you’ll still be seeing plenty of him.
Danny Jones -
7th August 2024 
