Search: 'Under-18'

Ashley Timms found himself jailed for attempting to blackmail a Premier League footballer. But as Mike Whalley reports, his attempts to rebuild his career are not running smoothly

When you’re trying to rebuild your career after a spell in prison, the last thing you need is to fall out with your boss after barely a month. But Ashley Timms isn’t very good at steering clear of trouble. In September last year, the former Man City youth-team keeper was jailed after admitting that he tried to blackmail an unnamed Premier League footballer over a mobile phone sex video.

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Gavin Willacy looks forward to the Premier League debuts of two of Burnley's thirtysomethings – better late than never

When Burnley make their return to top-flight football after 33 years, two of their most important players will be making their Premier League debuts in the 30s. Graham Alexander, who captained the side at Wembley in May, is approaching his 38th birthday, and Wade Elliott, the midfielder who scored the winning goal against Sheffield United, will be 30. They have both come a long way.

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Setanta is no more, but what did the channel do for viewers outside of the Premier League? Our writers assess the channel’s influence on the Conference and Scottish Premier League

The Conference
In WSC 259 I confessed to having given in to the lure of pay-TV, opting for Setanta rather than Sky for the sake of my bank balance. Now I am not so proud about my choice.

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The spirit of the game is being lost at junior level, but there is an alernative says Owen Amos

On the Northern Echo’s sports site, the sports editor recently wrote about an advert the paper was asked to place. “Under-10s team seeks experienced goalkeeper,” the advert said. It was, the sports editor said, by no means the first: every week, under-nine, ten, and 11 sides are seeking “proven players”. Winning is all. “Do the kids have to send a CV?” he asked, “or get their agent to submit a DVD to stand a chance of making it?”

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Asian players are still thin on the ground in English football. There are some good prospects but, believes Gavin Willacy, the round-ball game should look at the success of rugby league in this area

Two years ago WSC 225 focused on the Asians Can Play Football campaign. Of the four British Asians playing professionally then, Michael Chopra, the mixed-race son of an Indian grocer, is trying to prove he is a Premier League-quality striker with Sunderland, and QPR midfielder Zesh Rehman has clocked up nearly 100 appearances in the Championship. They are making a career – and a lot of money – from football. Adnan Ahmed is on the fringes at Tranmere and Harpal Singh – who got into Leeds’ squad but didn’t play a first-team game there – is coming to the end of an injury-ravaged season in Ireland, sitting on the bench for Bohemians. Coming into the League this season has been former West Ham trainee Anwar Uddin, after captaining Dagenham & Redbridge to the Conference title.

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