The Kingston and St. Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) issued a statement on Tuesday congratulating Reggae Girlz striker Khadija “Bunny” Shaw on being named the Concacaf Player of the Year for 2022 on Friday.
Shaw was instrumental in leading the Reggae Girlz to a second consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup berth as well as helping Manchester City secure the FA Women’s League Cup crown.
The statement read as follows: “The Kingston and St. Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) is proud to congratulate Jamaican International Footballer Khadija Monifa ‘Bunny’ Shaw on her exceptional achievement of being voted CONCACAF's Women’s Player of the Year for 2022.
This prestigious accolade, awarded by the Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), recognizes the outstanding performance, skill, and dedication of the best female footballer in the region.
Miss Shaw's victory not only highlights her individual talent but also reflects the strength and progress of Jamaican football on the international stage. Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw's journey began in Spanish Town and at Harbour View where she displayed a natural aptitude for football from a young age. Her unwavering commitment and drive led her to represent Jamaica at various age levels, ultimately earning her a spot on the senior national team.
As a prolific goal scorer and powerful forward, Miss Shaw has consistently demonstrated her ability to lead and inspire her teammates, both on and off the field. In 2022, Miss Shaw enjoyed a remarkable season, showcasing her skills at the club level with her European team and playing an instrumental role in the Reggae Girlz success. Her exceptional performance has been pivotal in raising the profile of Jamaican Women’s football and inspiring young athletes across the nation.
Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw's extraordinary accomplishment is a testament to her hard work, dedication, and passion for the sport. She has not only brought immense pride to Jamaica but has also set a far-reaching shining example for aspiring footballers in our country, the diaspora, the region and the world.
On behalf of KSAFA, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to her and wish her continued success in her illustrious career. As Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw continues to break barriers and set new benchmarks, KSAFA remains committed to supporting and nurturing football talent across Jamaica. We believe that this significant achievement will serve as an inspiration for future generations and contribute to the ongoing development and growth of Jamaican football.”
Lewis Stevenson will extend his lengthy Hibernian adventure after agreeing a new one-year deal that will keep him at the club for next season.
The 35-year-old sits fourth on the Hibees’ all-time appearance list, with 572 games under his belt since making his debut in 2005.
Stevenson, a one-club man, is also the only player to have won both the League Cup (2007) and the Scottish Cup (2016) with Hibs and will now get a chance to bid for more success with the club next term.
“Everyone knows how much Hibs means to me and I’d like to play here for the rest of my career,” he told Hibs’ website after his new contract was finalised.
“I feel pretty good, there are little things I can’t do that I did 10 years ago, but I still feel good physically and feel like I can help the team both on and off the pitch.
“I never imagined I’d go on to make as many appearances for Hibs as I have, but I want to keep working hard, playing and have more success here.”
Stevenson has made 27 appearances under current manager Lee Johnson this term.
“In this modern day and age, it’s not often you have a player that shows the kind of loyalty Lewy has to Hibs,” said Johnson.
“He has rightly written his name into the club’s history books and I think everyone can see that he’s still going strong.
“He’s really humble, a fantastic human being, and is exactly the type of person we want at this football club, so we’re delighted that he will stay with us for another year.”
Emma Hayes feels her Chelsea side must be perfect in the title run-in to be crowned Women’s Super League champions again.
Chelsea trail leaders Manchester United by four points but have two games in hand, the first of which is at home to lowly Leicester on Wednesday.
The Blues – who play United in the FA Cup final on Sunday – complete their league programme with trips to West Ham and Reading and a visit from Arsenal in between.
“We have to win all four games,” Chelsea boss Hayes said unequivocally at her pre-match press conference. “We’re in a good rhythm, we like the games.
“It’s tiring in one element because it’s a quick turnaround, but the dressing room would always prefer back-to-back games over lots of training.”
Chelsea are seeking a fourth successive WSL title and have scored 26 goals in four games against Leicester, including an 8-0 away win this season.
But Hayes, who has top scorer Sam Kerr available after the Australia striker came off as a precaution in Sunday’s 7-0 thrashing of Everton, is taking nothing for granted.
“Leicester in their form are indicative of top five, top six,” said Hayes, who refused to be drawn on speculation linking Magdalena Eriksson and Pernille Harder with end of season moves to Bayern Munich.
“They are the most aggressive team in the league and the most improved side in the whole of the WSL.
“They are going to be wounded from that (losing 8-0 at home) and they’ve learned a lot since then.
“They have a point to prove and I made that clear to the players. I do not underestimate Leicester in any shape or form, and I think this will be a game that will go the distance.”
Chelsea face an 11th-placed Leicester outfit who are two points clear of bottom side Reading with three more matches remaining, one more than the Royals.
Since Willie Kirk took charge in November with the Foxes bottom on zero points, they have collected 13 from as many matches, winning four times.
The Scot’s side were edged 1-0 at Arsenal last Friday and he said: “I’ve no doubt we’ll be more competitive than that (8-0) game.
“It was a bad day at the office, but those early games were a little bit of finding out for me in terms of who’s going to continue the journey, what we need to improve on. I feel we’ve ticked a lot of those boxes now and you’re seeing a much different Leicester.
“We might be able to capitalise on them having a cup final four days later. But what it comes down to is how we go about it.”
Wednesday’s other game sees fourth-placed Arsenal play at Brighton.
With two games in hand, the Gunners are three points behind third-placed Manchester City, who suffered a shock 2-1 loss at Liverpool on Sunday.
Asked about that result and for his thoughts on the table, Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall said: “I don’t care.
“We have four more games, we need to take one at a time, do our very best and if we do, we can finish as high as possible in the table. That’s the only thing we can influence.”
The fixture was originally scheduled for January but postponed due to a frozen pitch. Brighton have since changed manager, Jens Scheuer being replaced by Melissa Phillips, and secured seven points from four games under the American, moving up to ninth.
Eidevall said: “We would have liked to play them in January, of course, but now it is what it is, you never know where someone is going to put these games, with late broadcast pick and everything.
“I put that aside for now – I definitely think that’s a conversation for the future, to make this league more professional and fair.”
There were wins for Flow 4G Cayon Rockets, MFCR Old Road United Jets and S.L. Horsfords St. Paul’s United, as round two action continued Saturday and Sunday in the 2023 SKNFA Premier League.
Firstly, on Saturday, Flow 4G Cayon Rockets secured a 4-0 win over Security Forces.
Goals from Devontay Carty in the 27th minute and Carlos Bertie in the 30th and 33rd gave the Rockets a 3-0 lead at halftime before a Shaqkeem Butler 63rd minute strike completed the scoring.
In the other Saturday game, MCFR United Old Road Jets overcame a 0-1 halftime deficit to beat Newtown United 2-1.
Shaheem Prentice gave Newtown the lead in first half stoppage time before a double from Tiquanny Williams in the 51st and 55th minutes gave the Jets the win.
On Sunday, Fast Cash Saddlers and Sol Island Conaree played out a 1-1 draw.
After a scoreless first half, Tijani Fahie opened the scoring for Conaree in the 62nd minute before Navaldo Champagne equalized for Saddlers 12 minutes later.
Saddlers coach, Samuel Phipps, was pleased with his team’s performance, despite giving up a soft goal early in the second half.
“Unfortunately, we went behind again with what I think was a soft goal, but nevertheless, traits of a good team, we always come back and try to level the score so I am pleased with the guys and their performance,” Phipps said.
Coach Al Richards of Conaree was disappointed as he felt his team should have won the match.
“I am very disappointed today in giving up these points today. I think it was a game for us to win. We didn’t defend well the set piece from Saddlers and gave up a goal. This was a chance to go up the table, maybe to 4th position but we slipped it up again,” Richards said.
In Sunday’s second game, SL Horsfords St. Paul United secured a 2-0 win over Jones Group Sandy Point.
A 54th minute penalty from Keithroy Freeman and a goal from Diandre Challenger in the 78th minute secured the win after a scoreless opening half.
Manager of St. Paul’s, Austin Lewis, was not impressed with the performance of his team.
“The performance was not the best. I was not impressed with the performance today. I think we dropped our standard,” Lewis said.
Sandy Point player, Shaquan Pemberton, said the team played well but made a couple of mistakes, which cost them the match.
“I feel like the team played well today. Just a couple mistakes we made. Next time, we must come out and do what we do again,” Pemberton said.
On Friday, St. Peters FC scored a 2-1 win over Hobson Enterprises Garden Hotspurs.
St. Peters took the lead in the 30th minute through Shevene Boston. 52 minutes later, Spurs thought they rescued a point when Steve Archibald got their equalizer before St. Peters snatched victory five minutes later through Tyquan Terrell.
St. Peters Coach, Austin Dico Huggins, said despite this win, they still have a long way to go.
“The second round started today for us. We had a very interesting game…we had a training session yesterday and we were able to put some of the things that we did in training in order to be successful in the game. I think the game was very competitive and we managed to win the game. We are going to keep working because we have a long way to go,” Huggins said.
Assistant Coach of Spurs, Rohan Browne, said this result is disappointing.
“We worked hard to come back in the second half to equalize the game,” he said, calling the penalty call a “contentious” one.
“It’s disappointing and we worked hard,” he added.
In the earlier match up, Rams Village Superstars won by default as their opponent Bath United did not show up for the game.
AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud is determined to roll back the years as he attempts to add another Champions League crown to his collection of honours.
The Frenchman, who will celebrate his 37th birthday in September, picked up a winner’s medal as an unused substitute in Chelsea’s 1-0 final victory over Premier League rivals Manchester City in 2021 and is refusing to allow age to diminish his hunger for future success.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of Wednesday evening’s eagerly-anticipated semi-final clash with neighbours Inter, Giroud said: “Today I’m more motivated than ever.
“For me, it’s a great opportunity to win the Champions League. I’m [nearly] 37 years old, but I have the same motivations as a young boy.”
The Milan rivals will battle it out for the right to face either Real Madrid or City in next month’s final in Istanbul, with each having won their respective Serie A “home” game this season and Inter triumphing in the Coppa Italia in January, but with both previous encounters in Europe’s biggest club competition going the way of Milan.
Giroud said: “A derby is always a special match. I am very proud of this Milan team and we hope to do something great tomorrow.”
Coach Stefano Pioli, who has guided his side past Tottenham and newly-crowned Italian champions Napoli to reach the last four, is hoping for more of the same, although that task may be all the more difficult with Rafael Leao battling a thigh injury.
Pioli said: “It will take great team-work, as we have seen in the last four Champions League matches. To get an exceptional result, you have to do an extraordinary job and we will try.”
The sides have met on seven occasions since November 2021, with Inter faring marginally better having won three to Milan’s two along with two draws, but boss Simone Inzaghi is reading little into that record.
He told his pre-match press conference: “We have played seven derbies in 20 months. We have won and we have lost.
“We can take something from those previous meetings, but every game is different. The players will need to sacrifice for their team-mates.
“We will need to use our heads and our hearts. I have no doubts about our hearts, but we will have to use our heads since there will be setbacks along the way. The race will last 180 minutes and we mustn’t forget it.”
For Inter wing-back Federico Dimarco, the tie conjures up painful memories, but also presents an opportunity to gain revenge for old wounds.
The 25-year-old was among the crowd at San Siro in May 2003 to see Andriy Shevchenko’s strike send Milan through on away goals after a 1-1 semi-final, second leg draw.
Dimarco said: “Like all derbies, it’s always an incredible feeling to play them as an Inter fan. I’ve also seen many. I’m really happy to play in a semi-final. I want to enjoy it.
“I was at San Siro in 2003. I don’t have wonderful memories as an Inter fan. To think that I was there 20 years ago and now I can play this match is an incredible feeling.”
Liverpool have asked for next season’s opening match to be played away from home to allow preparations to be completed on their new Anfield Road stand.
Work, which began in September 2021, is on course to be finished this summer on the £80million redevelopment and will add around 7,000 extra seats, taking the ground’s overall capacity to more than 61,000.
However, with test events and potential additional work required on the pitch as a result of the building work – which will see the roof of the existing stand removed at the end of the season – Liverpool are looking to buy themselves more time to ensure everything is ready to open on the second weekend of the new campaign.
The club made a similar request to the Premier League when they completed the new Main Stand in 2016, which followed the same process of erecting the new building behind the existing one so the ground’s capacity was not affected during the season.
“We are on track and on budget,” vice-president of stadium operations Paul Cuttill said. “The progress has gone really well and we’re due to complete by the end of July, with a view to being ready for the first home game of the 2023-24 season.
“It’s not been confirmed yet but we’ve asked for the first game to be away, which will mean the first home game is August 19 or 20.
“It just means we have the best possible chance to make sure the stadium is ready, that we have had test events which are licensed and good to go.
“There is an element of pitch work, to make sure it has recovered from the roof being removed and the work which takes place on the pitch during the close season.”
Fulham boss Marco Silva praised his captain Tom Cairney after watching him score two goals in the thumping win over Leicester on Monday.
Cairney has made only 23 starts in the Premier League this season but took full advantage of his inclusion against the relegation-threatened Foxes, registering his first league goals of the campaign and putting in a fine all-round performance.
The 32-year-old swept in his side’s third goal of a 5-3 rout of Dean Smith’s team on the stroke of half-time, before adding his second after the break with a deft first touch and finish from Kenny Tete’s cross.
It kept Fulham in the hunt to register their highest-ever points tally in the Premier League, with two wins needed from their final three matches to break the club record of 53 set by Roy Hodgson’s team in 2009.
Silva said he was pleased to see Cairney working in midfield to help the team out of possession while also instilling the calm in the first half that ultimately helped them to sweep away Leicester before the break.
“Tom is always a player that can give us the calmness to start the game, even some moments under pressure he can give us what we need,” said Silva.
“Of course he knows I am pushing him to arrive in certain areas, to be between the lines.
“In some moments, first and second phase, we need players like him to start well, but when the game goes forward and we are in our defensive half, we need him to arrive in certain areas as well.
“Two great finishes, two great goals from him. Top quality player. We know his quality on the ball, everything that he can do.
“I’m pleased to see him working hard off the ball, understanding the moments, understanding the moments to press higher with Vini (Carlos Vinicius), the moments that he should drop to help the other midfielders as well. It was a very good performance from him and I’m really pleased for him.
“He deserves it and he’s having a good season, even if he’s not playing every time from the start. All of the last season for him has been good.”
The victory ended a run of three straight losses that had effectively ended Fulham’s hopes of qualifying for Europe next season.
Despite the disappointment, Silva remained optimistic that they can still record the club’s best tally for a top-flight season.
They will have Aleksandar Mitrovic back for the trip to struggling Southampton on Saturday and will relegate Saints with a victory, before hosting Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage and finishing with a visit to Old Trafford to play Manchester United.
“It’s really important we don’t hide that it’s our clear goal to achieve the target points that we want, to make the season even to be more brilliant, if I can say,” said Silva.
“We want really to finish the season with a big stamp, and the stamp will be to get that certain amount of points. We are going to fight for it definitely.
“We don’t know if it’s going to happen. But we are going to work hard and fight really hard and to enjoy to embrace the challenge to achieve it.”
Arsenal are hoping to announce Bukayo Saka’s new contract before the end of the Premier League season.
The England forward has been in talks with the club since last year but is committed to signing a new deal, which could now be sewn up before the summer break.
Saka, 21, has played a pivotal role in the Gunners’ title challenge this season and is the only Premier League player to reach double figures for goals and assists.
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He has hit 13 goals and laid on 11 assists to help Mikel Arteta’s side to second place and remain in the title hunt heading into the final weeks of the campaign.
Saka has missed just an hour of league football this season and also hit three goals at the World Cup as England made it to the quarter-finals in Qatar.
Talks with Arsenal over fresh terms have stretched back to last summer, with Saka saying in August he “shared confidence” with Arteta that he would extend his deal at the Emirates Stadium.
The PA news agency understands an agreement has all-but been reached for a new contract for the academy graduate, whose last deal was signed in the summer of 2020 and expires next year.
It is believed promotional footage to be released alongside the announcement has already been completed and it is a matter or working through the finer details before the deal is finalised.
While Saka is close to committing his long-term future to Arsenal, Granit Xhaka could be on the move this summer.
It is understood the club would be willing to let the Switzerland captain, whose deal also expires in 2024, move on if they receive an offer they deem acceptable.
Jack Grealish is ready to be "the X factor" for Manchester City in their Champions League semi-final tie with Real Madrid, according to the club's former defender Kolo Toure.
Toure heralded the winger’s uniqueness and bravery with the ball ahead of what many have identified as treble-chasing City’s toughest challenge so far this season.
Pep Guardiola’s men will be desperate to make it past Los Blancos after their opponents’ stunning comeback against his side in last year’s semi-finals.
Pundits and fans have been identifying Erling Haaland as City’s key difference maker following a record-breaking first season in Manchester that has seen him score 51 goals in all competitions.
But Toure feels it may well be Grealish who City end up relying on as they look to finally get their hands on the elusive Champions League trophy, with the first leg of their last-four tie taking place on Tuesday.
"He is such an effective player and for me it is unique players like that who win the Champions League because he has that X factor," Toure told Stats Perform about Grealish ahead of the match at Santiago Bernabeu.
"It is his personality. He's not scared, he likes getting the ball under big pressure, and they need him in the Champions League.
"I think he's going to be really big for them in the Champions League games coming up."
Grealish will not need reminding of last season’s disappointment in Madrid, where City led by two goals going into the final minute of the second leg before collapsing to a 6-5 aggregate defeat after extra time.
As City sought to put the tie beyond doubt, the Englishman was centre stage. He saw an effort cleared off the line by Ferland Mendy before the exceptional Thibaut Courtois saved from him as opportunities went begging.
Many questioned whether City had made the right move bringing Grealish to the club. A low output – just three Premier League goals and three assists – in his first season under Guardiola and a £100 million transfer fee did not help his case.
He entered a squad stacked with attacking players who have technical ability in abundance and were already established as greats of the Guardiola era. The records of Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and Kevin De Bruyne speak for themselves.
But Grealish’s development this season has been impressive, and this has not been lost on Toure.
"I think when he came to City, he came to a different team," explained Toure.
"With Aston Villa, he used to play as a free man and he used to be the playmaker. He used to be the one who does everything when they have the ball.
"They were working for him to make sure he just created chances on his own really by dribbling past one or two players and then passing the ball to his team-mates or scoring himself, and he had a habit of doing that from a young age.
"And then he came to Man City, which is a team with tactical discipline, which is a team with top players around him, which is a team that is not about one player but is about all the squad, it is about all the players on the pitch.
"And you find it difficult because he was learning the Man City way.
"He was trying to be disciplined because when you have been a free man running everywhere and then your manager says ‘you just stay there and the ball will get to you’ [it is an adjustment]. When the ball doesn't come for 20 seconds, you just want to get it.
"But Pep knew that this boy has big quality, and you just needed to be taught the tactical discipline and you can see how effective he is now.
"What happens when you have tactical discipline, you are not running everywhere on the pitch and you save a lot of energy and, when the ball gets there, you have plenty of energy to do even better than you used to.
"And you can see as how defensively he is working harder because he is not wasting energy. He is just in the right position for the ball get to him and then to attack one, two or three players."
Toure’s observations certainly stack up when looking at Grealish’s numbers. The England man has improved his assist output (11 in all competitions) and receives more progressive passes per game than in his first season at City, pointing his better understanding of his manager’s demands in tandem with his team-mates.
Guardiola is known to demand so much of his players and even Sergio Aguero once faced questions over his suitability. Many goals and many trophies later and that sentiment is one those who shared it will be hoping to forget.
Throw in names like Mahrez and Raheem Sterling and the list of attackers who have taken time before growing into key roles at the club is now a who’s-who of City successes.
Grealish will be hoping his critics will be quieter still as the season draws to a close following his breakout year at the top of English football.
But he along with his team-mates know Champions League glory will be the true marker of how they are viewed as City return to Madrid looking to show their growth and seeking redemption.
Everton winger Dwight McNeil cautioned against premature celebrations despite his side taking a significant step towards Premier League safety.
McNeil’s second-half brace helped the Toffees climb out of the relegation zone with an emphatic 5-1 away win at Brighton on Monday to move them one place and two points clear of 18th-placed Leicester.
While taking all three points from Roberto De Zerbi’s side provided a considerable boost, McNeil quickly diverted his attention to Everton’s remaining fixtures.
“Winning on the road is massive for our confidence within the camp, especially going forward into our final three games,” he told the club website.
“Now we are out of the relegation zone, we have a massive game coming up Sunday, then after that, the last two games are massive as well. We have to rest up now and get ready for that big game on Sunday.
“It’s massive to be out of the relegation zone, but we know nothing is done yet. We have got to go right to the end and get more points on the board and that’s what we want to do.”
Just three points separate 16th-placed Nottingham Forest and second-from-bottom Leeds.
Everton will look to dampen another club’s ambitions when they host Premier League leaders Manchester City on Sunday before encounters with Wolves and Bournemouth to close out the campaign.
Boss Sean Dyche was full of praise for former Burnley man McNeil, who picked up an assist for one of Abdoulaye Doucoure’s two goals against Brighton, while it was his cross that ultimately led to Jason Steele’s own goal.
Dyche said: “I’ve said keep going, keep driving forwards, because he does it so well. He can cross the ball and as you saw he can deliver calm finishes. His two finishes were terrific.
“It’s just another sign of what he’s got. I think he’s got a lot, to be honest, but I do about a lot of these players, when they’re on the edge and they’re all playing well and they’re full of confidence, but you have to build confidence and I think he’s been building his confidence levels and his performances.”
Brighton boss De Zerbi, meanwhile, encouraged his side to quickly move on from the defeat as they continue to target a place in Europe next season.
While it looks likely that seventh will be good enough for a Europa Conference League berth – a permutation thanks in part to the all-Manchester FA Cup final – De Zerbi wants his men to aim higher and refocus their mindset.
He said: “What you did in the past is not important, it doesn’t count, and we are Brighton. We have become Brighton. We won against Liverpool, against Manchester United, against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup, against Chelsea.
“Not because there is a top coach, not because there are top players, [but] because we showed pride, we showed courage, energy, patience, and I’m sure we will show for a long time.”
A dramatic final weekend of the Football League campaign set up a series of intriguing play-off ties as the remaining promotion contenders gear up for one last push.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the combatants in the Sky Bet Championship, League One and League Two as the semi-finals loom.
The Championship
Sunderland v Luton
Sunderland went into their final-day trip to Preston knowing even victory might not be enough to edge them into the play-offs, but a 3-0 victory, coupled with Millwall’s remarkable capitulation at home to Blackburn, saw them snatch sixth place to keep alive their unlikely hopes of back-to-back promotions.
Under Tony Mowbray, who replaced Alex Neil at the helm in August, they are unbeaten in nine and finished the regular season – during which star striker Ross Stewart was largely absent and they were without a recognised central defender – strongly to give themselves a chance to exorcise the ghost of successive relegations from the Premier League to League One.
Luton, who have not played in the top flight since 1992, were already assured of third place and their play-off berth before Monday’s 0-0 home draw with Hull, which extended their unbeaten run to 14 games.
Indeed, Rob Edwards’ men, who boast dyed-in-the-wool Wearsider Mick Harford among their backroom staff, have lost only once in the league since January 14 and climbed from 10th place into the top three after the former Watford manager’s appointment as Nathan Jones’ replacement in November.
Coventry v Middlesbrough
When Mark Robins accepted the hotseat at Coventry in March 2017, the club was hurtling into League Two and faced an uncertain future amid deepening financial problems.
He has since guided them back up the pyramid to within touching distance of the Premier League, where they last played during the 200-01 season, after a run of 17 games which included just a single defeat and ended with Monday’s 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough.
Former Manchester United and England star Michael Carrick, who was on the books at Boro as a youngster, inherited a team which had won just four of its first 16 league games and was languishing inside the relegation zone when he replaced Chris Wilder in October.
Carrick has overseen a concerted drive up the table, fuelled in large part by revitalised 28-goal striker Chuba Akpom, which at one point saw the club flirt with automatic promotion.
League One
Peterborough v Sheffield Wednesday
Peterborough’s last-gasp surge into the play-offs represents a triumph for persistence. Manager Darren Ferguson, who resigned in February last year with the club slipping inexorably towards the Championship exit, returned for a fourth spell in charge in January following successor Grant McCann’s departure.
Sunday’s 2-0 win at Barnsley enabled Posh to leapfrog Derby into sixth place with a helping hand from Wednesday, who beat the Rams 1-0.
Owls boss Darren Moore, however, will hope that is as far as his side’s charity extends having seen them finish 19 points clear of their semi-final opponents and just two adrift of second-placed Ipswich.
They lost out to Sunderland at the same stage last season and will head into their latest two-legged appointment on the back of a four-game winning run.
Bolton v Barnsley
Bolton’s quest for a return to the second tier for the first time since 2019 caps a season of real positivity after a difficult spell in the club’s history.
Promoted from the fourth tier two seasons ago, Ian Evatt’s men have lost only one of their last 10 games in all competitions, a sequence of results which includes a 4-0 Papa Johns Trophy final victory over League One champions Plymouth.
Relegated from the Championship at the end of last season – having won just six of their 46 games a year after reaching the play-offs – Barnsley are looking to make an immediate return under Michael Duff.
They rather limped over the line, taking just a point from their final three fixtures with runners-up Ipswich and fast-finishing Peterborough both winning at Oakwell.
League Two
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Salford v Stockport
Salford, famously backed by Manchester United’s Class of ’92, survived a final-day scare as they clung on to the final play-off spot despite a 1-0 home defeat by Gillingham.
Led by former United Academy coach Neil Wood, the Ammies have made it to the end-of-season festivities for the first time since their emergence from the National League in 2019.
Stockport boss Dave Challinor is targeted a third-successive promotion have steered County back into the Football League last season having done the same with Hartlepool 12 months earlier.
They missed out on automatic promotion to Northampton on Monday after a 1-1 home draw with already-relegated Pool, but are unbeaten in 13.
Bradford v Carlisle
There are few bigger managerial names in the lower leagues than that of Bradford boss Mark Hughes, but the Bantams are going to have to do it the hard way if they are to make it back to the third tier.
They won only one of their last five regular season fixtures – although drew 1-1 with champions Orient to seal their play-off place – and failed to score in either game against the Cumbrians.
Carlisle’s 1-1 draw with Sutton ensured their continued participation, although their form too is patchy with only two wins in their last 11 games.
Paul Simpson, the man who took the club from the Conference to League One in successive seasons during his first spell as boss, is back in charge having successfully fought his own battle with kidney cancer and hopes are high for a significant upturn.
Former Old Firm rivals Martin O’Neill and Alex McLeish are united in their disappointment over the lack of away supporters at games between Celtic and Rangers.
Former Celtic boss O’Neill believes the Glasgow derby has lost something from the development after describing the past atmosphere as “combative and brilliant”.
McLeish also feels the lack of away fans could even hamper the home team.
Both clubs formerly handed about 7,500 tickets to their rivals until Rangers announced in May 2018 that they were slashing that allocation to about 10 per cent of that figure. Inevitably, Celtic immediately followed suit.
Celtic are believed to be in favour of a return to the original allocation but neither club have taken away tickets for the final two league meetings between the sides this season amid concerns over the safety of small groups of away fans inside Ibrox and Celtic Park.
Speaking ahead of Celtic’s trip to Ibrox on Saturday, O’Neill said: “The thing I would miss most now is that there are no Celtic fans allowed into Ibrox and no Rangers fans allowed into Celtic.
“I think that really does take away from the atmosphere.
“My goalkeeping coach, Seamus McDonagh, brought some friends and his grandchild up to the game here, I got him some tickets for the 3-2 game (at Celtic Park). His grandchild was blown away by the atmosphere and Seamus, who hadn’t been up for a while, thought it was fantastic.
“I said to Seamus, it genuinely doesn’t compare to the atmosphere when the opposition are in. It’s really something. I mean the Rangers goal was virtual silence.
“I thought there was something really combative and brilliant about the fans being in.
“You felt kind of consolation that you had Celtic fans at Ibrox.
“It’s a shame. Honestly, there’s definitely something missing from that. You miss it. The games were fantastic. I’m not saying I always looked forward to them but they were fantastic.
“The games are still special but they were extra special when the away fans were in.
“It would be nice if the clubs sat down and organised something. Losing the away fans does take something away from the game.”
McLeish, who spent most of his Ibrox reign up against O’Neill, agreed with his former opponent.
“You get inspiration from both sets of fans,” the former Rangers manager said.
“If you’re getting ribbed by the opposition fans then it inspired you to do a wee bit more for yourself.
“It seems bizarre that there won’t be opposition fans. It’s a shame.
“I never thought I’d see that happening but it’s the way the world has evolved. Social networks are quite vitriolic at times as well. It’s something I could just never foresee.”
Tottenham defender Ben Davies has talked up Ryan Mason’s positive influence on the squad.
Mason claimed his first victory during his second caretaker spell in charge of Spurs with Saturday’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.
It occurred after the 31-year-old had tweaked the tactics used by his old boss Antonio Conte, who repeatedly stuck with a 3-4-3 system.
Tottenham lined up in a 4-4-2 out of possession and it helped them keep a first clean sheet in the Premier League since February 26 with more confidence restored to a group who have experienced crushing defeats to Bournemouth, Newcastle and Liverpool in the past month.
“It’s something we’re all well aware of and one that we needed for a long time. It’s a good start for us and hopefully we can kick on for the final games now,” Davies said of the shut-out against Palace.
“It’s not the easiest situation to come into (for Ryan). We’ve got limited amount of games so it’s hard for him to come in and completely change things and do it his own way.
“But there’s been a clear message that we need to be as good as we can with the ball and tighten up without it.
“It’s pretty basic but that’s the way we’ve been training and working. Ryan’s instilled that belief in us that we’re able to do that.”
Davies, who has largely played left of a back three this season, was used as a full-back last weekend before being asked to push higher up the pitch when Spurs attacked.
On the right wing was January recruit Pedro Porro and it was the Spain international who set up Harry Kane’s winner to help make up for some poor defensive showings at St James’ Park and Anfield recently.
Davies added: “Pedro is still a young player. We know the intensity and scrutiny of the Premier League, you make one little mistake and it’s highlighted for the world to see.
“Look, we all know how good a player he is. We’ve seen it on the training pitch. When you iron out those mistakes I think we’ve got a top player on our hands.
“Sometimes when you’re new to the club and the Premier League, you probably feel a lot of demand, especially when it comes to the transfer fee, to try to impress.
“Sometimes it’s about making sure you do the basics and do the simple things right first. I think he did that. He defended well and then when he got the opportunity (to attack) he was good.”
Tottenham’s win over Palace moved them up to sixth and kept them on course to qualify for a European competition.
“Our aspiration is to play European football and be involved in as many competitions as we can,” Davies insisted.
“We have the squad, we have the number of players, so it’s probably necessary that we are.
“Our aim is to go as far as we can in every competition. Any European competition is important for us.”
Real Madrid are "the best team of this generation" and could go all the way in the Champions League again this season, according to former European champion Mario Gomez.
Madrid claimed their 14th European crown in incredible fashion last term, overcoming Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City in a series of dramatic knockout ties.
Having reached the final despite losing a game in the last 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals, Los Blancos captured their fifth Champions League title in nine seasons by beating Liverpool 1-0 in Paris.
As Carlo Ancelotti's men prepare to face City in a repeat of last year's semi-final tie, former Bayern Munich striker Gomez described them as the "true beast" of Europe's premier club competition.
"With Real Madrid, over the last 10 years, how many times have we thought, 'it is over for them', and they just come back every time," Gomez said in an interview with the Go Turkiye YouTube channel.
"They are the true beast of the Champions League, absolutely unbelievable.
"Since I was very little, I have been a Barcelona supporter, but I really enjoy this Real Madrid side.
"They believe until the last second, so, for me they are the best team of this generation.
"For that reason, I think that they will go really far. I don't know if they will win it, because football is unpredictable, but they can reach the final."
Turkey striker Cenk Tosun was speaking alongside Gomez, and having worked with Ancelotti during a stint in the Premier League with Everton, he believes the Italian could be set for more glory in Istanbul next month.
"It is always a special event to have the Champions League final here in Turkey," Tosun said. "Of course, Real Madrid is the winner of last season and a clear favourite.
"They have the same manager as last year, Mr. Ancelotti. I worked with him at Everton and I really like him, he is a special person for me, so I would pick Real Madrid to win it."
Gomez appeared as a substitute as Bayern beat Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund in the 2013 Champions League final, as part of a memorable treble won by Jupp Heynckes' team.
Reflecting on that win, Gomez said: "It was one of the most beautiful days in my life, because we were in the final one year before against Chelsea, and we lost [on penalties].
"To this day nobody knows how we lost that game. In 2012-13 we really had the power and energy to show people that it was our year, it was our time.
"The final wasn't that good. Dortmund were as strong as us, if not better, but in the end, we got the trophy. When we got handed the trophy and lifted it in front of the fans, it was amazing.
"The four years I spent there were just incredible. There were so many special players in that team.
"I'll start with the two wingers. They were the stars and I was just the finisher. On the left-hand side we had Franck Ribery.
"On the other wing, Arjen Robben. Totally different from Franck. He always wanted to finish.
"With Arjen I always had to predict the keeper's movement, and if they saved his shot, I was there for the rebound. I scored many goals liked that!"
Doncaster have sacked manager Danny Schofield following their 18th-placed finish in League Two.
Rovers were relegated last May and hovered around the wrong end of the English fourth tier for most of the season, with Schofield unable to change their fortunes after succeeding Gary McSheffrey in October.
They won only one of their final 11 games, losing eight of them, with Sunday’s defeat by Walsall the final straw.
Chairman David Blunt said on doncasterroversfc.co.uk: “It is with the deepest regret that we have made this decision.
“Danny is a Doncaster lad and everyone at the club desperately wanted him to be a success here. His dedication, commitment and work ethic during his time at the club have been unquestionable.
“Whilst it is true Danny has not had the opportunities to build his own team and the injuries have depleted the squad, we would have still expected to see a better turn of results than what has been achieved this season.
“In recent weeks, Danny has handled some difficult circumstances with the utmost dignity and has the respect and best wishes of all staff at Doncaster Rovers.
“We expect to announce Danny’s replacement within the next 10 days.”
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