The Region’s Number One Entertainment & Classifieds Newspaper
MAYOR TO HOST PUBLIC Q&A TO dISCUSS AIRPORT
South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, is hosting a second live Q&A event where residents, businesses and stakeholders can hear more about the journey to reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) and the wider vision for South Yorkshire Airport City.
The event, titled ‘Cleared for Take-Off: A Q&A on the Future of DSA’ will be held on Wednesday 12th November between 6 and 7.30pm at the Cast Theatre in Doncaster, with arrival and refreshments from 5.30pm.
Attendees will have the opportunity to hear directly from South Yorkshire’s Mayor and about the progress made so far, the challenges ahead and how the
reopening of DSA fits into South Yorkshire’s broader ambitions for economic growth, connectivity and sustainability.
The event will be chaired by Dan Fell, Chief Executive of Doncaster Chamber of Commerce.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said:
“Reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport isn’t just about restoring flights - it’s about unlocking opportunity. DSA is a vital part of our plan to grow South Yorkshire’s economy, improve our connectivity, and build a region where people can stay near, and go far.
“The Q&A is a chance for people to hear directly about the journey so far, the challenges ahead, and how we’re working to deliver an airport
that works for our communities and our region.”
Mayor Coppard and Council Leaders took the historic decision to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport, approving a £160m (£159.52m) funding package that will see commercial flights
return to the region, in September.
The decision was made at a meeting of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Board held on Tuesday 9 September at Doncaster Sheffield Airport. All five board members voted unanimously in favour
of the funding, paving the way for the airport’s reopening.
You can find out more information and register for a free ticket for the Q&A event on the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Eventbrite page.
REV & THE MAKERS TO APPEAR AT LOCAL SOCIAL CLUBS
Local favourites
Reverend and The Makers are set to appear at two south Yorkshire clubs as part of their intimate UK tour of traditional social clubs.
The Sheffield band, fronted by Jon McClure, have added an extra date at Crookes Social on the 11th of December and will appear at Askern Miners’ Welfare the night before on December 10th. They already
have a sold out show scheduled at Crookes on December 5th.
The band, best known for their 2007 smash Heavyweight Champion of The World, is about to embark on a tour of ‘old social clubs’ playing a variety of British Legions, WMCS and Social Clubs plus other intimate venues around the country .
The tour comes hot on the heels of their biggest headline show
to date at Rock N Roll Circus in Sheffield, where the band celebrated their 20-year anniversary with a triumphant homecoming performance for 30,000 fans at Don Valley Bowl. Discussing their latest album ‘Is This How Happiness Feels?’, Jon McClure said: “This album has been a labour of love owing to personal reasons but has emerged as a joyous triumph.
“It’s easily the best thing we’ve ever done and will surprise a few people too.”
Tickets go on . General sale 31st October from 10am at www. reverendandthemakers.co.uk/#tour
Local Tour Dates: 5th Dec- Crookes Social Club (Sold Out) 10th Dec - Askern Miners Welfare 11th Dec - Crookes Social Club
29/10/1998 - Space Shuttle Discovery blasts off on STS-95 with 77-year old John Glenn on board, making him the oldest person to go into space.
30/10/1485 - King Henry VII of England is crowned.
31/10/1876 - A monster cyclone ravages India, resulting in over 200K deaths.
1/11/1604 - William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello is presented for the first time, at Whitehall Palace in
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London.
2/11/1936 - The British Broadcasting Corporation initiates the BBC Television Service, the world’s first regular, “high-definition” service. Renamed BBC1 in 1964, the channel still runs to this day.
3/11/1838 - The Times of India is founded. 4/11/1956 - Soviet troops end the Hungarian revolution against the Soviet Union.
My wife tells me I have 2 major faults, I don’t listen - and something else.
People say the back of my head looks really nice. But I don’t see it.
I was walking past a farm and a sign said: “Duck, eggs!”
I thought: “That’s an unnecessary commathen it hit me.”
I went the doctors the other day complaining about my sore feet.
He said: “Gout!”
I said: “But I’ve only just walked in!”
What does a grape say when it’s squashed? Nothing, it just lets out a little wine.
I’ve been teaching myself to juggle clocks. People are saying I’ve got too much time on my hands.
I’m not wearing glasses anymore. I’ve seen enough.
My landlord says he needs to come talk to me about how high my heating bill is. I told him, my door is always open.
Waiter: Do you wanna box for your leftover food?
Dad: No
thanks, but I’ll wrestle you for them.
A man walks into his home to realize that all his lamps were stolen. He was delighted.
1. George Orwell, the author and son of a British civil servant, was born in which country?
2. Ceuta is an enclave in Morocco belonging to which country?
3. SpaceX is an aerospace manufacturer founded by which entrepreneur?
4. The ‘Pequod’ was a ship from which novel?
5. Which bridge was both the longest and tallest suspension bridge when it opened in 1937? It carries U.S. Route 101.
6. To what did British Guiana change its name when it gained independence in 1966?
7. The Orang-utan is native to only 2 islands, one is Borneo, which is the other? a) Madagascar b) Sumatra c) Java
8. Which childrens book character was told “your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor”?
9. Which former England international cricketer had the nickname of ‘Pica’?
10. Which Austrian went on to become Governor of California?
Doncaster safer city initiative Marks a Year of action in the city centre
City of Doncaster Council and South Yorkshire Police are marking a year since the launch of the Safer City initiative, which has seen the two partner organisations joining forces to drive forward improvements and make the community a safer place.
One year on from the initiative’s launch, when the Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones announced £1m worth of funding for new safety measures in the city centre, residents are being reminded of all the work that has been done in Doncaster so far, while also being encouraged to ‘Report It’ when it comes to any antisocial behaviour they witness (either in the city centre or elsewhere).
Over the past year, investment has been made into expanding Doncaster city centre’s CCTV network, introducing a new mobile vehicle (equipped with cameras and first aid apparatus), and implementing a Tannoy system that enables its operators to directly communicate with anybody who is perceived to be engaging in antisocial behaviour. Alongside this, there has also been an increase in police and council patrols
and an enhanced cleansing regime for the city centre.
Elsewhere, the Frenchgate has seen the opening of its popular EPIC Hub, which is run by the council and provides young people with support and a place to go, as well as a brand new policing base . South Yorkshire Police have also acquired a fleet of bicycles to help their neighbourhood officers respond more quickly to incidents unfolding in and around the city centre.
Using the powers granted to them under the relevant Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), the council has handed out 889 warnings for PSPO breaches in the city centre over the last twelve months, as well as 13,478 Penalty Charge Notices for parking offences and 3,761 fines for littering. Not to mention, the council’s Safer City teams have also conducted 17,382 hours of patrols through the urban core during that same time window.
Meanwhile, South Yorkshire Police have completed a total of 1,060 patrols of the city centre, covering 1,165 miles. An encouraging decline in crime statistics has coincided with this activity, with a 7%
overall reduction in crime for the first half of 2025, a 23% reduction in offences involving the possession of a weapon, and a 6% reduction in violent and sexual offences. There has been a 29% reduction in the number of shoplifting offences committed in the city centre over the past year — bucking the national trend — and those who have been caught have been jailed for a combined total of over 40 years.
Members of the public, whether they are based in the city centre or elsewhere across Doncaster, can help keep the community safe by letting the council and police know about any incidents of antisocial behaviour or crime they encounter.
More information about how to file these reports can be found by heading to www. yourlifedoncaster.co.uk/ report-it.
Meanwhile, more information about the Safer City initiative itself can be found by heading to www.yourlifedoncaster. co.uk/safer-city
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News, Information and Advice
new magna tram station
South Yorkshire’s newest Tram Train station has reached a major construction milestone, with the installation of lift shafts and a new passenger overbridge now complete at the Magna Tram Train station in Rotherham.
The £10million station and Park & Ride, set to open in early 2026, will serve the Tram Train route between Sheffield and Rotherham - improving access for residents, businesses and the Magna Science Adventure Centre, reducing congestion and pollution within the Lower Don Valley, and supporting wider regeneration in the area. The new infrastructure marks a significant step forward in the delivery of the station, which will feature fully accessible platforms, step-free access via lifts, and a pedestrian overbridge connecting both sides of the tracks.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said:
“It’s brilliant to see real progress being made at Magna. We’re building a better-connected South Yorkshire. This is about more than concrete and steel. It’s about making sure our public transport network works for everyone - accessible, joined-up, and designed around the needs of our communities. When the new station opens early next year, it’ll help more people get to work, get to school and spend time with friends and family. It’s another step towards a fairer, greener, more ambitious South Yorkshire. And I can’t wait to see it up and running.”
The Magna Tram Train station is being delivered by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) in partnership with Network Rail and Supertram, with funding from the UK Government’s Transforming Cities Fund. Roisin Lowery, Network Rail sponsor, said: “The completion of the lift shafts and passenger bridge marks a key milestone in the project to complete the new Magna Tram Train station. We’re proud to be working with our partners to deliver what will be a major step forward in improving connectivity in this part of South Yorkshire.” The station will be the first new Tram Train stop added to the network since the pioneering
new homelessness action
burton st christmas market
service launched in 2018, and is expected to improve access to jobs, education and leisure for thousands of residents and visitors. Leader of Rotherham Council, Councillor Chris Read, said: “The new Tram Train station at Magna is a further step forward for Rotherham and the wider region - improving the way our public transport network works, and strengthening our plans for more jobs and homes along the corridor along Templeborough and beyond. This project is about making sure Rotherham residents and people across the region benefit from better, greener transport and that our town continues to grow. We’re proud to be working with partners to deliver this investment. I look forward to seeing the station open and making a real difference for our communities and visitors.” The station forms part of SYMCA’s commitment to invest over £110m in Supertram by 2027. This includes upgrades to the trams, track control systems and power supplies, alongside the construction at Magna. It also comes as the Rotherham Gateway Station project is set to move into the next phase of design. This includes finalising plans for a new connecting Tram Train stop - boosting local connections to Rotherham town centre, Magna, Lower Don Valley, Sheffield Arena and Olympic Legacy Park. Tram Train services continue to run as normal during Magna Tram Train station construction, except on Saturday evenings when dedicated replacement bus TT1 replaces services between Meadowhall South, Rotherham Central and Parkgate. A full Tram Train service will resume from 6 December. Cllr Ben Miskell of Sheffield City Council, said: “We’re rightly proud of the Supertram. Now over 30 years old, it has served communities across South Yorkshire incredibly well. But the network has the potential to do so much more— and this new station is a clear sign of the progress being made by South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, in extending and improving the tram system, which we continue to fully back.”
A meeting of the Housing Committee approved a revised version of the Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeping Strategy Action Plan 2025-2028. It sets out bold priorities for the year ahead.
During the 2024/2025 period, the number of households presenting as homeless in Sheffield dropped by 13.6%. This reflected the impact of early intervention and collaborative working not just within Sheffield City Council, but alongside all partners working to prevent homelessness in Sheffield. There has been success with prevention work. Some 35.8% of households seen at the prevention stage were successfully supported to avoid homelessness - an improvement on the previous year. Of those prevented from becoming homeless, 76.9% secured new housing, while 23.1% remained in their existing homes.
One of the biggest overspends for Sheffield City Council remains the use of emergency and temporary accommodation for people who require immediate support. However, particularly when it comes to using expensive B&B placements there has been improvement. Temporary accommodation placements fell by 8% overall, and the number of families in B&Bs dropped by 65%. The Council continues to respond to people that are rough sleeping, and identify responses to emerging trends. Although there is increased demand, the number of those experiencing long-term rough sleeping reduced from 59% to 36% of all cases, with Sheffield outperforming regional and national averages. There are also emerging challenges too including evictions from Home Office accommodation and long-term rough sleeping, which peaked earlier this year.
Initiatives such as the Prison, Probation and Housing Group and Domestic Abuse Housing Accreditation have driven service improvements and earned national recognition. The Homelessness Prevention Forum has grown in popularity, fostering collaboration across sectors and
amplifying the voices of those with lived experience to help shape support for those who need it.
However, homelessness remains a complex and persistent issue, with the top causes continuing to be:
• Eviction by family or friends
• Domestic abuse
• Loss of private rented housing
There remains a continued demand for homelessness services and despite the progress made in the area so far there remains an ongoing reliance on B&Bs for emergency accommodation. Work also continues on expanding housing options and workforce support. Looking ahead at the third year of the Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeping Strategy and revised Action Plan, the Council’s focus alongside partners will be:
• Ending B&B use for families by the end of 2025/26, and ending that reliance for all households by the end of 2026/27
• Adding 100 new temporary accommodation units and better utilising vacant properties to house those in emergency need
• Expanding prevention efforts, including earlier access to the right advice and support
• Growing private rented options, aiming for 600 tenancies to have been secured for people by 2028
• Strengthening multiagency responses for people rough sleeping, with multiple support needs
The strategy being approved comes off the back of the news of Sheffield receiving £1.5m of additional government funding to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping across the city. The Council will be distributing £841,736 in 2025-2026, this is one-off grant funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to partners to support the response to homelessness. Some £261,736 of that will be allocated to the Voluntary, Community, Care and Faith Sector to support innovative homelessness prevention and rough sleeping initiatives.
Burton Street Foundation is delighted to announce the return of its popular Christmas Market. Now in its 14th year, this festive event brings together the local community for a day of shopping, entertainment and seasonal treats, while supporting the charity’s work with adults and children with disabilities.
Visitors to the market can enjoy:
• Over 35 local traders offering unique gifts
• Santa’s Grotto, face painting, kids’ scrap workshop and even reptile-petting!
• Tombola and raffle with prizes
• Festive food and Sleigh Bar
• Live music from the Stannington Brass Band and Sacred Heart Choir Entry is just £2, with all proceeds supporting the Foundation’s vital community services.
Clare Mappin, Managing Director of Burton Street Foundation, said: ‘It’s always wonderful to open our doors to everyone — there’s something for the whole family, and we’re so grateful to see people returning year after year. As a community organisation, this is our main fundraising event, and every penny raised goes directly towards supporting our work with adults and children with disabilities. Last year’s funds helped us create a brilliant new sensory room — please come and see it for yourself while enjoying the shopping, food, drinks, and music at our Christmas Market. Everyone is welcome; it’s always a brilliant day!’ This year’s event will be held on Saturday 22nd November - 11.00am - 3pm at Burton Street Foundation, 57 Burton Street, , S6 2HH
Top tips for saving money on your phone and broadband!
1. Check your payments are fair
Never assume your deal or provider is a good one just because you’ve had it for years. Use comparison sites like Uswitch, MoneySavingExpert or Compare the Market and see what’s available at your address. If you’re out of contract, you’re as free as a bird. This means you can switch or haggle to get a better rate.
2. Haggle Like a Pro If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Us Brits might not historically be the best at this, but you choose the option for ‘am thinking of leaving you’, you will be connected to the ‘retentions’ or ‘cancellations’ teams who will be able to offer more to keep you.
3. Remember loyalty does not pay Broadband is one of the services where loyalty can cost you a lot more. Negotiating across mobile and broadband combined can save £325 per year on average and it usually takes just minutes to do so once you’ve found the package that’s right for you. If you’ve got a mobile contract with the same company, check for bundles where you
First established in 1865, Eric Eyre has personally looked after families in the local communities of Sheffield, Barnsley and Rotherham since 1955.
Operating from branches in High Green and Sheffield Lane Top we offer a bespoke funeral service upholding traditional values whilst progressing to cater for modern, personalised customer requirements.
A selection of the services we provide:
• Professional and sympathetic funeral arrangements in our office or in the comfort of your own home • Pre-paid funerals
Floral tributes
•
can combine broadband and mobile costs into much more cost-effective plans.
4. Check out social tariffs If you’re on Universal Credit, Pension Credit or other benefits, you might be entitled to a social broadband tariff, which is a lower-cost deal providers rarely promote. They’re fast enough for most households and there’s no harm in asking. Broadband is a basic, essential service not a luxury.
5. Don’t overpay for speeds Providers love to upsell on ‘superfast’ and ‘ultrafast’ packages you’ll never fully use. Unless you’ve got gamers, streamers, and home workers all online at once, a standard fibre connection is ample. Run a quick speed test and if your line rarely hits the top speeds you’re paying for, save money by downgrading your package. Ditch the addons, decline fancy routers and skip any services that don’t clearly improve your connection.
6. Don’t be a mug Broadband companies count on your inertia. They know most people won’t switch, won’t haggle and won’t question their bills.
The legacy of one of Sheffield’s most influential nightclubs – and the birthplace of the city’s worldfamous electro-pop movement –is set to be celebrated through an ambitious new heritage initiative. Plans have been unveiled for ‘Synth City – Celebrating the Legacy of The Limit’, a two-and-ahalf-year project hoping to capture and commemorate the iconic West Street venue that defined a generation and helped shape Sheffield’s global music reputation. Opened in 1978, The Limit became the epi-centre of Sheffield’s emerging electronic and alternative music scene. It provided an early stage for pioneering acts including The Human League, Clock DVA,
Cabaret Voltaire, Vice Versa (later to become ABC) and Pulp, and was a creative melting pot that helped spark the city’s distinctive electropop sound – one that went on to influence artists worldwide.
More than just a club, The Limit became a social lifeline and creative refuge during a time of economic and cultural upheaval. Its DIY spirit and inclusive atmosphere inspired a generation of musicians, fans and creatives who carried its legacy far beyond Sheffield.
The proposed ‘Synth City –Celebrating the Legacy of the Limit’ project aims to preserve and celebrate that story through exhibitions, oral-
history recordings, memorabilia digitisation, documentary and a new publication. By reconnecting Sheffield with the stories, images and sounds of its post-punk and synth-pop years, it will ensure The Limit’s influence is recognised within the city’s wider cultural heritage.
The initiative already has the backing of Sheffield Archives, Sheffield Music Archive, Sheffield Hallam University, Martyn Ware (Heaven 17/The Human League), Sheffield BID, photographer Pete Hill, Pete Gill (ex-Motörhead/Saxon drummer), the Bailey Brothers, Dirty Stop Outs, and Loretta Cosgrove, Production Designer of the BBC’s acclaimed series Mix
Tape, among many others.
Keith Radley, project lead, said: “The Limit wasn’t just a nightclub – it was the birthplace of Sheffield’s electro-pop revolution. Its influence is still felt around the world. With the 50th anniversary approaching in 2028, now feels like the perfect time to properly document and celebrate its impact.”
The Synth City team are now preparing a bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund to bring the project to life and are keen to demonstrate public enthusiasm. Keith Radley went on to say: “The Limit was Sheffield’s Hacienda - few venues anywhere in the country have a legacy comparable and we think it’s a history worth celebrating, recording and making available to wider audiences. What it achieved in its 13 years shaped an entire generation – and that impact is as strong today as it was
LiVe eVentS at the ParaMount
Saturday 8th November - 2:00pm TICKETS £15
Enjoy an afternoon of Big Band and Swing classics at this one-off show, featuring the celebrated Take 2 Big Band, together with Barnsley’s very own Kevin Grunill at the console of the Paramount Compton organ. Star vocalist - Craig Williams joins us to feature some of the great songs recorded by Michael Buble, Frank Sinatra & many more. An unforgettable afternoon of toe-tapping Big Band favourites not to be missed.
karaoke • Fun games • open the box chinese bingo • play your cards right From 5.00 pm sunday 2nd november - 8pm charity race night in support oF andy’s man club
SUNDAY 2ND NOvemBeR TOp mALe vOCALIST
(please check website www.handsworthsocialclub.co.uk for updates)
SATURDAY 1ST NOvemBeR STAR fATHeR SON DUO jONeS & jUNIOR BINgO & fIve NUmBeRS
SATurdAy 1ST november STAr mALe voCALiST Louie
gRAHAm
FRIDAY 7TH NOVEMBER
FRIDAY 7TH NOVEMBER
DOORS
DOORS OPEN 6:30PM
TICKETS £10 FROM THE CLUB 07773 551667 OR FROM BEHIND THE BAR
SATURDAy 1ST NOvEmBER sTar male vocalisT
SATURDAy 8TH NOvEmBER Tremendous female vocalisT
The Licensing Act 2003
(Premises and Club Premises Certificates) Regulations 2005
Notice is hereby given that We: AUX BON VIVANT LTD
Have made an application under Section 17 Part 3 of the Licensing Act 2003 for the grant of a Premises Licence for the Premises known as AUX BON VIVANT, 27A CAmpO LANe, The ChImes, sheffIeLD, s1 2eG
We intend to conduct on or from the premises the following licensable activities:
Sale by retail of alcohol for consumption ON & OFF the premises:
Monday - Sunday 09:00 – 23:00
Provision of regulated entertainment, namely: Performance of live music
Thursday - Friday 14:00 – 22:00
Interested parties or responsible authorities may make written representations to Licensing Services, Block C Staniforth Road Depot, Staniforth Road, Sheffield, S9 3HD about this application by 16th November 2025
For information on representations, please see www.sheffield.gov.uk/licensinginforesidents
For full details and to view a copy of the application please contact the Licensing Service by e-mail to licensingservice@sheffield.gov.uk. It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application and the maximum fine for which a person is liable on conviction for this offence is unlimited.
The Licensing Act 2003 (Premises and Club Premises Certificates)
Regulations 2005
Notice is hereby given that I: CORey pALmeR
Have made an application under Section 17
Part 3 of the Licensing Act 2003 for the grant of a Premises Licence for the Premises known as
The BARReL, 191 LANe eND sheff eLD s35 2UL
I intend to conduct on or from the premises the following licensable activities:
Sale by retail of alcohol:
Monday - Thursday 11:30 - 23:00
Friday - Sunday 11:30 - 00:00
Christmas day 10.00 - 23.00
New years eve 11.30 - 01.00
Provision of late night refreshment
Friday - Sunday 23:00 - 00:00
New years eve 23.00 - 01.00
Provision of regulated entertainment namely: Playing of recorded music
Monday - Thursday 11:30 - 23:00
Friday - Sunday 11:30 - 00:00
Christmas day 10.00 - 23.00
New years eve 11.30 - 01.00
Interested parties or responsible authorities may make written representations to Licensing Services, Block C Staniforth Road Depot, Staniforth Road, Sheffield, S9 3HD about this application by 13th November 2025
For information on representations, please see www.sheffield.gov.uk/licensinginforesidents
For full details and to view a copy of the application please contact the Licensing Service by e-mail to licensingservice@sheffield.gov.uk.
It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application and the maximum fine for which a person is liable on conviction for this offence is unlimited.
TUESDAY
Coronation Street:
Eva makes an unexpected return to the cobbles when her partner Ben leads her outside The Rovers, removes her blindfold and reveals that he’s bought the pub for her. However Eva is shocked when Ben’s mum Maggie arrives and drops the bombshell that she intends to move in. James finds Carl in the Rovers backyard and assures him that despite his recent behaviour, he still cares about him. When Debbie interrupts their conversation, Carl fears the truth about his relationship with James has been uncovered. When she spots Jake laughing at something on his phone, Hope jumps to conclusions and accuses him of being behind her cyberbullying ordeal. When Cassie bemoans her lack of employment, Steve offers her some shifts on the switch at Street Cars.
Emmerdale:
As tensions occur between Aaron and Robert in the café, the police arrive to question Kev about an attack on an old friend. But when Aaron returns home, he’s confronted by Kev, who delivers a spine-chilling death threat to leave Robert alone or else. Aaron soon has an ally in his corner when he confides in Mackenzie. How will Kev react to his new enemy? After several warnings from Jai, Kerry gets Billy to cover her shift as she meets Matty in the shop to read the coroners’ report on the limo crash. With Jai unaware of the wider context, he fires Kerry on the spot. A new and unlikely friendship forms which could spell trouble for the future, when Mack and Ross discover common ground. But will their newly formed friendship send Charity into panic mode?
Eastenders: In front of the pub, Kat blurts out Zoe’s secret for all to hear. How will Zoe deal with the fall out? Ravi hands over leadership of the criminal enterprise to Okie. With Okie now in power, will Harry and Kojo ever escape? Having found Nigel safe, Julie is full of relief. However, her day takes a turn when Nigel emotionally reveals that he is too unwell for them to travel to India. Eve is panicked to hear that she will need a reference from her mum to go ahead. Given that Eve’s mum is known to be homophobic, will this be a roadblock to the adoption plans? Alfie comes across a video tape from the 1980s. Kat, Zoe and Tommy settle down upstairs to watch the video from 1988. As questions from the past emerge, how will the Slater family cope?
MERCURYH LIDAYS
luxury
Fully
FOOTBALLR UNDUP
and
from Andre Brooks and Callum O’Hare, but Preston hit back just before and after the interval, completing the turnaround in the second half. After the game, Wilder admitted it was a game his side should have put to bed.
He said: “Scratching my head how we’ve not walked away with three points. Unbelievable, but we’ve only got ourselves to blame. Game management, naivety of the team. I think the game plan in terms of setting up worked in our favour. We set traps, we pounced, we countered, we looked a really good side. We have to put teams to bed though.
“We have to take the game away and then we have to
realise when we’re coming up to half-time that there’s game management about it. What is the feeling of this place going to be like after 45, 46 minutes with the home team 2-0 down and possibly Paul and Stuart scratching their head and maybe thinking, dear me, we’ve dodged a bit of a bullet here because the game should be done, but it wasn’t because we didn’t turn the ball down the side. We tried to be too intricate with it and then we made a really poor decision to go and engage in a tackle where we didn’t and then you’re feeling it.
“Their boys sprinted down the tunnel and no doubt the team talk from them would be, right, we need to be a load better. We conceded a free kick straight after half-time, allowed them to put the ball in our box. We get blocked, boy wins a header, comes off Japh and all of a sudden it’s game on and it’s two each. I think we’re really unfortunate with the third goal. Mark McGuinness gets a whack and he’s
desperately trying to get back into the middle of the goal, maybe we should come over and shuffle over. All of a sudden it’s game on and really we’re all scratching our heads in the changing room afterwards.”
United controlled the game for much of the first half but the Blades boss stated conceding three goals was always going to make life difficult. He added: “I thought we were good, maybe the opposition might think it was them, but I thought we were really good. We were really good in our structure, we set traps, we jumped it, when they went long, we jumped on the second ball, we played our way out of it, we created opportunities. It wasn’t just set plays or direct play, even though there’s always different ways to win games, it was combinations, it was opportunities, but I’m going to talk about, from a defensive point of view, conceding three goals gives us an uphill task in terms of trying to win a game of football.”
statemeNt FRom the oWLs admINIstRatoRs
After last Saturday’s game against Oxford at Hillsborough Joint Administrator for the Owls Kris Wigfield published this statement to the fans...
Saturday marked our first match since entering administration — and while the result wasn’t what any of us wanted, what happened off the pitch was nothing short of remarkable.
From Friday lunchtime through to kick-off, you — the supporters — have shown this football club what it truly means to belong to Sheffield Wednesday. Since the announcement, over £200,000 has been spent in the Club Shop, and we sold 9,000 tickets for the match in just 24 hours. The kiosks were packed with fans buying food and beer, and every bit of that support matters more than you can imagine. We came into this situation with only 24 hours to prepare for the weekend and very little cash available, but your response has been overwhelming. You’ve given us hope — and a fighting chance.
Grant McCann believes Rovers’ performance at Reading provided a building block for a return to consistency for his side.
Rovers were much improved at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, with some promising attacking play and resilience in defence as they battled out a point with the Royals.
And McCann was largely pleased with what he witnessed as he seeks growth from his team following a difficult run of form.
“All in all, I think it’s a building block for us,” he said.
“This league is so inconsistent - you can see that from the other results today - and we want to put ourselves back in the mix.
“But that’s a good building block for us.
“Usually, any point away from home is a good point as long as you are strong at home. We know we are mainly strong at home. We’ve been disappointed with the last few home games but we need to get back to winning games at home.
“Then you can look at all the points away and think ‘that’s not a bad point’ by the time you come to the end of the season.
“We don’t set up to try to draw games away. We go to win.
“There was large elements of the game I liked. I thought the structure of the team was good. I thought the balance of the team was good.
“Of course, you want the second goal and the third goal and we just lost a wee bit of organisation on the goal, which is something we need to look at.
“We organised ourselves much better for 89 minutes and the one moment we didn’t, they scored from it but we can build from today.
“We need to use this now as a tool for us to move forward and play with more freedom, more expression, more intensity and more energy.”
Our job now is to keep that momentum going. Tickets for our next home match, against Norwich City, are already on sale. After that we have a run of big games before the end of the year — including the Steel City derby against Sheffield United, followed by Preston, Derby, Hull and Blackburn. We know ticket prices have been a talking point in the past. The Norwich and Sheffield United prices will remain as previously set, but we’ll be introducing a special discounted package for the four remaining home fixtures of the year to make sure as many supporters as possible can be part of this journey.
A word of thanks I want to personally thank:
• Our players and coaches, who continue to give everything despite working under incredibly difficult circumstances. They’ve dealt with uncertainty, late wages, a small squad — and they still represent this club with pride.
• Our staff, who have gone above and beyond.
Some came in on their day off; others worked tirelessly to get the North Stand ready. Every department has pulled together, including staff who’ve shown great professionalism even under personal pressure. Over recent months, many have faced the strain of being paid late — not once, but repeatedly. The uncertainty and stress that brings, particularly when people have mortgages and families to support, is enormous. Yet they’ve stayed. They’ve kept working for this club because they care deeply about Sheffield Wednesday. That commitment and loyalty deserves everyone’s respect and thanks. There can be no better example of the passion our staff have for the club than the footage displayed on the scoreboard prior to the match. Only people that understand what it means to be a Wednesdayite could have produced something that so many supporters found so emotional.
• Our suppliers, who stepped up at short notice to make sure we
had enough food and drink for a much larger crowd than anyone expected. One director of a supplier even offered to personally underwrite their essential services until the club is sold — a gesture that shows how much this club means to the city.
• The local press, for their professionalism and support in keeping fans informed responsibly. They often had the inside track on developments but chose to prioritise the good of the club over chasing exclusives that could have disrupted the process. Their restraint and integrity have been a huge help during an incredibly delicate few days.
• Clive Betts MP, for his help and guidance in recent days.
• The Supporters’ Trust, whose members have worked tirelessly behind the scenes, introducing contacts and helping us communicate quickly and clearly. The amount of work these individuals have done on a voluntary basis — often putting huge strain on their own time and home lives over many months
— has been nothing short of incredible. Their dedication to safeguarding the future of Sheffield Wednesday has played a vital role in helping us get to this point. There are countless others who deserve recognition, and in time we’ll make sure they get it. For now, please know that every act of support — buying a ticket, a pint, a scarf — helps us take one more step toward securing the future of Sheffield Wednesday. This club has been through difficult times before, and every time it’s the same thing that gets us through — you, our incredible supporters. We’re not out of the woods yet. But together, we can rebuild this great football club and make Hillsborough a place we’re all proud of again.
WAWAW
Thank you, Kris Wigfield Joint Administrator Sheffield Wednesday Football Club
