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UK and Ireland to host the 2028 European Championship

Tomas Wilson

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Football fans from the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland are delighted as UEFA have announced the home nations as host of Euro 2028.

UK and Ireland were left unopposed after Turkey pulled out of the bidding to focus on a joint bid with Italy for Euro 2032.

Staging a major sporting event, usually means the hosts will qualify automatically. However, it is not yet known if all five countries involved in the bid – England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland will play in the tournament, as it’s unlikely UEFA will offer more than two places, meaning three could miss out.

The tournament is scheduled to be played in June and July of 2028 and across ten stadiums, with six of those grounds being in England and then one each for the remaining four nations.

The proposed venues are:

Wembley Stadium (London)
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London)
Villa Park (Birmingham)
Everton Stadium (Liverpool)
Etihad Stadium (Manchester)
St. James’ Park (Newcastle)
Principality Stadium (Cardiff)
Hampden Park (Glasgow)
Aviva Stadium (Dublin)
Casement Park (Belfast)

The list of stadiums have left some football fans baffled as the selection process has excluded some of the UK’s most iconic home grounds such as Anfield, Old Trafford and Celtic Park, which all have a higher capacity then half of the stadiums named.

It’s understood that Cardiff’s Principality stadium will host the opening match, with final taking place under the legendary arch of Wembley.

It’s been reported that events hosted by multiple countries have been criticised because of their carbon footprint. Although, it’s predicted the tournament could generate an additional £2.6 billion in socio- economic benefits with sustainability being places as a top priority.

There’s a promise that 80% of ticket holders will be able to travel to the matches by public transport as a way to reduce emissions.

It was just two years ago that England and Scotland hosted matches at the delayed Euro 2020 with the final held at London’s Wembley and the nation will be keen to right the wrongs of that event and get their hands on the Henri Delaunay Trophy.


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Colden Common extend unbeaten run with comeback win against struggling Denmead

Taylor-James Greer

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Despite strugglers Denmead leading at half-time, Colden Common extended their unbeaten run to eight games after their 4-1 win last night.

Early counter-attack by the Mead saw them ahead just inside three minutes. The Stallions believed there was a handball in the build-up, but Tayo Adekoya was able to strike past youngster James Egeland-Jensen.

Colden Common dominated after the goal. Alpay Ali’s header was directed straight at Ciaran Hards, before Matt Rylance managed to pick out Will Erdinc inside the box – whose effort went wide of the post. Matt Driver had this chance palmed away by the Mead keeper as Adekoya’s low drive from the free-kick was blocked by the wall.

Chances kept coming for the Stallions. Braden Collins and Ali combined outside the box, which allowed Rylance to have his effort comfortable saved by Hards with Driver’s strike also kept out. Brad Lethbridge’s delivery was met by Sam Middleton, who saw his header wide as the referee blew for half-time.

HT: Colden Common 0-1 Denmead

Seven minutes into the restart Colden Common were finally level after substitute Jack Darnton’s cross from the edge of the box managed to lob Hards.

Erdinc’s effort came close to giving the Stallions the lead four minutes later, but a near carbon copy of the first goal saw Lethbridge cross bounce over the Mead keeper as Colden Common completed a second-half comeback just inside ten minutes.

Former Petersfield Town defender Nathan Primus added his name to the scoresheet after his header saw Hards ball watching as Max Innalls failed to clear it off the line.

Rylance’s shot shortly afterwards was directed wide as John Holden managed to pick out Ali at the back post, but the Bulgarian failed to find the back of the net. However with two minutes left to go Ali managed to hold off Innalls, with the former Baffins marksman finding the bottom-left corner to wrap up the game.

FT: Colden Common 4-1 Denmead

What is next for both sides?

Both sides are back on the road this weekend.

Colden Common will travel to Kennels Lane as they take on already relegated Fleet Spurs. A win on Saturday could see the Stallions climb into the top four.

Denmead end their season with an away tie against Liss Athletic, with the club being one of the favourites to be relegated. Mead, Hayling United and Sway are all level on 32 points, with strugglers Moneyfields Reserves five adrift of the trio – they have two games in hand.

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The ‘pressure is on’ says Harris as Liphook look to secure title against Fleet Spurs

Taylor-James Greer

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Liphook United boss Carl Harris understands how much pressure is on his side as they are one win away from winning the Hampshire Premier League after their 3-1 victory on Tuesday night against Moneyfields Reserves.

Moneys took an early lead through former Portsmouth midfielder Stan Bridgman but Ryan Angear, Marco Sellitto and Marcus Bedford were on target for the Blues to gain all three points in East Hampshire.

Victory for Liphook saw them pick up their 11th win from losing positions this season, which saw Harris praised his squad’s character after Tuesday’s comeback.

He told Winol: “It’s always going to be tough game [against Moneyfields Reserves], they are playing to stay in the league and had a few first team players playing for them – Stan Bridgman and Elliott Turnbull.

“The last few weeks people have been saying we should win the league and now it’s just us to close it out.”

‘We are a second-half team’

Harris told Winol: “People have been saying – ‘how are Liphook going to win the league, they are not that good.’ I agree with people saying ‘we’re a second-half team’ and it’s nothing to do with other than character.

“The character of my team is the best I know, that is the 11th time this season we have come back from behind and won. That’s character so when we look like we’re down and out, we’re not.

“People can say whatever they like, it’s just one more now.”

One more win

Saturday afternoon could see Liphook become winners of the Hampshire Premier League for the first time since 2012. 

A win on Saturday against rock bottom Fleet Spurs will see the Blues win the league with four games to spare.

Fleet have only two league wins all season, Liphook will certainly go into the game as favorites.

The two sides met earlier this month as the Blues took home all three points at Kennels Lane.

“It’s the day we wanted,” said Harris. “At home [on a Saturday], our Reserves are playing before us – the whole club will be here, and that is something no one can take away from us.

“It will be tough [against Fleet Spurs], only won 3-2 against a good side. Every game is tight, and we will probably make hard work of it but I don’t care as long as we get our day.”

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Petersfield concede two late goals as Royal Navy sail to Pompey Cup final

Taylor-James Greer

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The Royal Navy FA have booked their place in the Portsmouth Senior Cup final after last night’s 2-0 victory over Petersfield Town.

The Rams came into the tie with a much stronger side with the returning Tommy Tierney, former Portsmouth midfielder Charlie Bell and captain Liam Kimber making the starting 11 after being rested on Monday night. 

Petersfield controlled the early stages of the game but the RN were able to create some chances. Skipper Danny Kerr had his effort palmed away by youngster Harvey Greenfield, before Elliot Holmes’ strike was comfortable caught by the Rams keeper. 

The RN continued to break on the counter, looking to attack down the flanks, but had no luck with Petersfield’s dominant display and they failed to really test Dane Rigby. Tyler Giddings’ effort was blasted over as Jake Thomson has his low drive blocked. 

Tierney’s strike was pushed away for a corner by Rigby as Kimber tried his luck from range just before the break.

HT: Petersfield Town 0-0 Royal Navy FA

Just seconds into the restart Petersfield came extremely close to taking the lead with Kimber’s strike just going wide of the post. 

Cam Quirke had two opportunities on goal, which were comfortable caught by  Greenfield. 

Two quick chances for the Rams saw Giddings’ header snatched by Rigby as Charlie Merritt drilled his effort wide. 

Kerr and Holmes combined just outside the box, which allowed substitute Sanchez Jansz-Baker to volley his effort over the bar. 

However shortly afterwards Jansz-Baker found the bottom left corner to put the RN ahead with 20 minutes remaining.

Tierney had another opportunity, this time to make it level, but he curled his effort from outside the box wide. 

Petersfield believed they should of been awarded a penalty when Callum Knoll was bought down by Jim Cox, the referee waved play on. 

The Rams controlled the later stages of the game. Alex Hulme’s strike was blocked by Rigby as Bell managed to pick out Thomson late on but his header was cleared away. 

In the third minute of added time Petersfield’s last attack of game saw Bell square it across the face of goal but Shawn Benjamin managed hook it clear. 

This allowed another attack for the RN, which saw Sean Powell net in the late on to secure their spot in final of Portsmouth Senior Cup

FT: Petersfield Town 0-2 Royal Navy FA

Gosport Borough or Portsmouth U21s will lock horns with the RN at the PMC Stadium next month. 

Connor Hoare told Winol:  “We could have been 2-0 up before their first goal. Liam [Kimber], Charlie [Merritt] and Tommo [Jake Thomson] had chances, and we make a mistake, 1-0.

“We just said to the lads [after the game], it’s a bit of our story of the season – on top of games, but all of a sudden they are taking their opportunities. The amount of times this season, whether that be at half-time or at the end of the game, we’ve gone ‘how have we not won that game?’ It has been relentless the amount of times we’ve said that, and today was another case of it.”

What has gone wrong?

The Rams have been missing a lot of key players due to injury in recent weeks. Keeper Ellis Grant, Ollie Davis, Cam Smith and Chad Cornwell have all been sidelined.

Archie Greenough and Dec Seiden, who finished off as the club’s top goalscorer despite leaving in early February, both left Petersfield during the season.

Seiden’s 15 goals for Hoare’s side earned him a move back to Moneyfields, who scored a further five times for the Wessex Premier League champions.

Hoare has expressed how the club’s struggled since Seiden’s departure, and has hinted where the Rams will be looking to strength next season: “Losing Dec was massive for us, he had a lot of goal contributions, it was actually quite difficult [the transition from losing him] – we prepare a way of playing around him.

“You take him out, you take all your goals out.

“The last few months [since Dec left] we’ve been playing Liam Kimber, who is a midfielder, as a striker – because we’ve no one else. Ollie Davis was our biggest goal threat all season, he suffered a four month injury. We know we need a striker, winger and a really experienced centre-back [when we go into recruitment in the summer].

“We’re looking for more experience, we’ll come back as a better team, next year”

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