Blackpool Zoo has posted a bizarre job advert in which it revealed it is recruiting human bird scarers to help keep problematic seagulls at bay.
The seaside zoo is looking to hire a team of people to dress up in giant inflatable bird suits to shoo away ‘nuisance’ seagulls.
The role, which would be housed within the Zoo’s Visitor Services team, will see a group of ‘seagull deterrents’ asked to dress up in inflatable costumes and intimidate seagulls in an attempt to try and keep them away from the main visitor dining areas.
Although the Zoo is at pains to stress that it ‘love[s] all animals’, according to bosses the birds have become a huge pest after stealing food from both visitors and animals in their enclosures.
Now, with a view to putting an end to their mischievous behaviour, it appears that Blackpool Zoo is building its own army of birds as a first line of defense.
The full job description reads: “At Blackpool Zoo it goes without saying that we love all animals! And as a seaside resort, Blackpool is not short of seagulls.
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“However, the seagulls are proving to be a bit of a nuisance when it comes to trying to steal food from our visitors and our animal enclosures!
“We need to do what we can to keep the seagulls away from our main visitor dining areas, which is why we are looking for a team of people to join our Visitor Services team as ‘Seagull Deterrents’
Two brand new coaches have joined Pep Guardiola’s backroom staff at Manchester City this week, and they arrive at the club with an impressive and interesting pedigree, to say the least.
2024/25 was the first campaign that the Catalan head coach finished the competitive season without picking up silverware since his maiden year at the club in 16/17. As a result, it looks like Pep is risking any further flirtation with complacency and looks to have been proactive in the transfer market and beyond.
As well as player acquisition (one already completed and more inbound), the official appointment of two key additions to the first-team coaching personnel on Tuesday morning has piqued some interest.
Not least of all because they’ve been snapped up from a rival club.
The two men in question are Pepijn Lijnders and James French, who, up until this month, used to belong to the current English champions and had been for more than a decade, respectively.
Lijnders, who is now assistant coach to Guardiola, initially joined Liverpool as part of former manager Brendan Rodgers’ entourage before being kept on by club legend and now close friend, Jürgen Klopp, who left the Premier League after nine years in charge last year.
Why have one Pep when you can have two, eh?
As for his 42-year-old protégé, the fellow Dutchman had a short 2018 spell in charge of NEC Nijmegen back home in Eredivisie and, most recently, the RB Salzburg boss before ultimately being dismissed after just 29 games.
Lijnders also famously published his first book while still working as a football coach, Intensity: Inside Liverpool, back in 2022; it chronicled Liverpool’s 2021/22 season and was heavily criticised by many for shedding too much light on the dressing room and coaching secrets.
Safe to say his arrival at the Etihad Campus is a loaded and intriguing one for a number of reasons.
He certainly seems to back himself and has already tried his hand in the top job.
Meanwhile, long-time colleague, French, has been at Anfield studying opposition teams even longer. The former Hearts, Cardiff and Swansea match analyst landed in Merseyside all the way back in 2012.
Born in Portugal but raised here in England from an early age, picking up degrees in Scotland and Wales before also enjoying a role as part of the Welsh FA, his CV is a varied one which now includes Man City‘s new set-piece specialist.
With runners-up Arsenal having seen huge success in gaining extra points through goals converted from dead-ball situations, and Pep already a very astute tactician, it looks as though the Blues are hoping to find further success in this area.
You could argue he now serves as the perfect man to help push the team forward against their closest modern rivals and will certainly serve as a helpful opposition coach now too, having effectively spent a very long spell ‘researching’ what goes on over at Melwood.
Commenting on the appointments, fellow new starter and recently integrated Director of Football, Hugo Viana, said: “We are all delighted that Pepijn and James have joined our senior coaching set-up. Pepijn and James have each amassed huge experience working in their individual roles over the past few years.
“Their talent, application, work ethic and all-around commitment are totally aligned with the values that underpin how Pep wants football to be played.
“I have no doubt at all that both will prove to be very important assets for Pep and his coaching team as we prepare for the Club World Cup and then the 2025/26 season.”
Along with new reserve goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli from Chelsea also being confirmed, it is expected that Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders are next to be announced.
Club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak made clear to fans early doors that his side would pick up “several targets” this summer, even after the roughly £200 million spending spree back in January, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see even more new faces before the end of the window.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been presented with an honorary degree by the University of Manchester.
The Man City boss and club legend was given the accolade in a ceremony this week in recognition of the “extraordinary contribution” to local sport and the city in general.
Since arriving at the Etihad Stadium nearly a decade ago, the Catalan head coach has overseen the most decorated period in the team’s history, broken a litany of records and changed how the English game is played significantly.
His time at City has also seen their success and revenue generation spill over into East Manchester as a whole, too, with the area being significantly developed and regenerated. He was presented with the degree by the University’s Chancellor, Nazir Afzal.
Speaking via the institution, he said, “I have lived the best moments of my life, I would say”, right here in Greater Manchester and even admitted he’s come to “love the rain and the dark days and nights.”
Damn right.
“I know how important the University of Manchester is to our city. It’s the home to a lot of research, and it has a history of discovery. So, honestly, to be honoured in this way by such an esteemed institution is an amazing feeling.
“I want to thank everyone at the University of Manchester for this moment – and I want to thank everyone at Manchester City for their constant support.”
Addressing the audience inside Manchester’s beautiful Whitworth Hall, he described being recognised with the award as an “amazing feeling”, going on to express just how much the city and the community mean to him.
“I have spent nine years here and it has become home. The people, the culture, my incredible football club, my colleagues… it is all so special to me and my family.
“When I arrived here in 2016, I did not know how long I would spend here. The way this city embraced me made everything easy. My time here has been beautiful.”
The 45-year-old also took time to speak on important issues like the Ukraine war, suffering in Sudan and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Pep Guardiola delivered a powerful speech while receiving an honorary degree from the University of Manchester, where he spoke about the suffering in Sudan, Ukraine, and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.@PepTeampic.twitter.com/IdLXFsNaa5
Pep Guardiola, while receiving an honorary degree from the University of Manchester:
“It’s so painful what we see in Gaza, it hurts all my body. It’s not about ideology but the love of life. It’s about refusing to be silent or still when it matters the most”@PepTeampic.twitter.com/HlC5q1adi5
Touching on the latter, specifically, he added: “It’s so painful what we see in Gaza. It hurts all [of] my body. Let me be clear; it’s not about ideology, about I’m right and you’re wrong. Come on, it’s just about the love of life, the care of your neighbour.”
He also went on to cite ‘The Brave Little Parrot‘ (sometimes simply referred to as ‘The Bird in the Forest here in the West’) – one of the famous Jātaka Tales taken from the original collection of 550 morality stories from centuries-old Buddhist literature.
Unsurprisingly, the Spaniard has been heaped with praise for using his platform for good and shedding light on humanitarian crises; as for UoM itself, you can read what they had to say about him in full HERE.
So, while he may have finally spent a season without silverware – although his side could still go on to win the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup – he’s still managed to walk away with another impressive personal achievement.
Congratulations to Pep Guardiola on his honorary degree, but it’s worth noting he’s not the only City icon being celebrated this week either…
Best minute-to-trophies won ratio in the game and an absolute icon living. 🙌 😅
Georgina Pellant -
24th April 2023 
