Of course, we all know the Wythenshawe-born Manchester United and England star has been making a name for himself on the football pitch and scoring impressive goals since he was a teenager, but it has been his ongoing work off the field to end child food poverty, stand up against the government, challenge racism and prejudice, inspire people across the globe, and ultimately give a voice to the voiceless that has seen him really shine since 2020.
It’s what earned him thousands of new fans, countless accolades, and an MBE in the process – and now, it’s also what’s seen him take the reins as the guest-editor and star of the Beano.
The 24-year-old footballer has been immortalised in cartoon form on the front cover of the ever-popular children’s comic, and said he “jumped at the chance” to guest-edit a one-off edition too when it was pitched to him.
Rashford also appears throughout the magazine, and is drawn alongside iconic characters like the Bash Street Kids, Billy Whizz, and Bananaman.
ADVERTISEMENT
In his special guest-edited edition of the world’s longest-running comic, Rashford makes sure to urge all his young readers to “embrace their differences”, and celebrate “all the things that make us unique”.
He revealed in his editor’s letter that his favourite thing about the Beano is how “brings together all sorts of different children,” adding: “Instead of our differences dividing us, we embrace them here and we find strength in them.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Nobody is a success in football without good teammates, and that’s true in life as well.
“Everybody needs to build a team of allies to have fun with and speak up for what’s important. Our voice is strong alone, but when our voices come together, we are powerful. When we fight for things that are important together, we can make progress a lot quicker than by ourselves. Asking for help is no weakness. Asking for help to achieve things quicker is a superpower.
“Finding your voice doesn’t have to be difficult. It can be as simple as having the confidence to stand up for something you believe in, or to champion someone else and their difference.
“Your journey is your strength, and everyone has something valuable to contribute.”
The special edition of Beano celebrates the launch of Rashford’s new book, You Can Do It: How to Find Your Voice and Make a Difference, which has been co-written with Carl Anka and published by Macmillan Children’s Books.
The special guest editorship is also part of NatWest’s Thrive programme – created in partnership with Rashford and the National Youth Agency – and aims to help six-16 year olds become more financially confident and realise their full potential through a series of interactive group workshops and peer-to-peer sessions.
For each copy of the special edition sold, 20p will be donated to the Marcus Rashford Book Club to help children access books.
Featured Image – Beano
Trending
Tommy Fury vs Darren Till press conference descends into foul-mouthed chaos
Danny Jones
The first press conference ahead of Tommy Fury vs Darren Till was held on Tuesday evening and it didn’t take long for the whole thing to descend into absolute bedlam.
Having only been confirmed on Sunday, Fury vs Till will be a homecoming bout for the Wythenshawe-born fighter who is set to headline the first-ever boxing match at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena.
With the date set for 18 January, the pre-fight build-up and media frenzy are growing fast and things have already come to ahead in just the first meeting between the two fighters in London this week.
Clearly sharing plenty of bad blood already, while Tommy and Till were engaging in the usual fighting talk, the family patriarch, John Fury, decided to interject and it was at this point that things boiled over.
‼️ Tommy Fury vs Darren Till press conference descends into chaos as Till tells John Fury: "Shut up, you haven't been seen since Oleksandr Usyk battered Tyson."
As you can see, amidst the various insults being thrown around regarding intelligence, boxing ability, Tommy’s older brother Tyson being “battered by [Oleksandr] Usyk”, ‘Big John’ then launches a bottle of water across the table at Till, sparking a hot-tempered on-stage skirmish.
The lengthy exchange features as many expletives as you could imagine, with 31-year-old Darren Till also threatening that he will “bladder” both Tommy and his more established heavyweight sibling Tyson, labelling the entire Fury family “shithouses” as they walk out of the London press conference.
A mixed martial artist by trade who has competed at both welterweight and middleweight in the UFC, Till assured that even if the boxing match isn’t going his way on the night, he will kick [him] square in [the] face”, adding that he’s a “proper fighter” and that Tommy, on the other hand, has no power.
YouTube turned musician and occasional boxer, KSI – the founder of the Misfits promotion who is putting on the event and who Fury beat back in October last year – can also be heard whooping from centre stage and shouting, “Get your tickets!”
Even after the mini-brawl is separated, the foul-mouthed back and forth continues for some time. You can see another angle here:
Press conference aftermath 🤯@darrentill2 was going IN on the Fury’s 😳
This isn’t the first time things have boiled over at a Fury press conference; in fact, it’s not even the first time John Fury, 59, has found himself in the very eye of the storm.
Meanwhile, the youngest Fury son is preparing first his first fight in over a year, having nearly joined this year’s I’m a Celeb lineup instead.
Tickets for the now highly-anticipated boxing match at Co-op Live, just the second combat sports event to have been held at the arena, are on sale now – you can grab yours HERE. It’s going to be a feisty one.
Festive Grinch-themed cafes to pop up inside Greater Manchester Primark stores
Emily Sergeant
Festive Grinch-themed cafes are popping up inside two of Primark’s biggest Greater Manchester stores in the run-up to Christmas.
As the temperatures turn colder by the day, the nights draw in, and the most wonderful time of the year nears closer and closer, it won’t be long before it’s time to snuggle up in our comfies and pop on the first Christmas film of the year – and for some of us, there’s a good chance that first film of choice will be The Grinch.
Whether you prefer the 2000 fantasy comedy starring Jim Carey, or the 2018 animated reboot with Benedict Cumberbatch, it’s undoubtedly a real family favourite.
To celebrate everyone’s favourite grumpy green grouch, Primark has teamed up with Dr. Seuss once again on a Grinch-tastic collaboration.
Shoppers can now head to their nearest Primark store to find the largest-ever Grinch collection, with something for the whole family, as well as great gifting options said to be “ideal for getting into the anti-Christmas spirit”.
There’s Grinch pyjamas and slippers for both adults and kids, a Grinch ‘Onesie’ that’s sure to make people green with envy, Grinch drinks cups and mugs, a selection of loungewear and Christmas jumpers for festive dressing, and so much more, as well as whole host of Grinch-inspired outfits and toys for your four-legged friends too.
As part of Primark’s aim to offer affordable choices for everyone, prices for the Grinch collection start at just £1 for accessories, and go up to £24 for adult clothing.
If the return of the Grinch collection wasn’t exciting enough as it is, the all-new Grinch cafes – which are popping up in Primark on Market Street in Manchester city centre, as well as Primark in Trafford Palazzo – are bound to be hit with fans of the furry character.
There’s everything from green waffles and themed milkshakes, to festive toasties, hot drinks, and more on the menu.
With Greater Manchester Grinch cafes set to be open until the end of December, Sarah Jackson – who is the Director of Licensing at Primark, said: “We’re so excited to roll out our amazing cafe experience across a number of our UK locations, bringing a sprinkle of mischief to our customers this festive season.
“Whether you’re stopping in for a sweet treat or stocking up on pyjamas and gifts for the whole family, we have everything you need to make it a truly unforgettable Grinch-mas.”