GREAT SCOTT
An England international back in the days long before it became fashionable – and before it became fashionable for the mainstream media to ram her sport down the throats of male fans too stupid to realise they were under no obligation to watch it – Jill Scott has announced her retirement from the sport with the release of an emotive epistle that would bring floods of tears to a glass eye.
In a lengthy and often amusing farewell, the 35-year-old Mackem lass reflected on her days growing up kicking a ball around with the local Wearside lads and wearing the men’s hand-me-downs at her first senior club, Sunderland. She recalled the pre- and post-match interviews she used to conduct with herself as she subsequently blew her university loan on the thousands of gallons of petrol that would fuel her beat-up car’s endless cross-country jaunts to and from her next senior gig with Everton. Then there was her step up to the Manchester City first team where – to her astonishment – she didn’t actually have to launder her own kit.
A stellar career in the English women’s game peaked with victory at the Euros, on a night in which she came off the bench to play in front of 87,000 people, played a blinder, was caught effing and jeffing at an opponent by the BBC cameras, got a hug from Prince William and a medal around her neck. “I have a gold medal,” she wrote. “I can’t stop looking at it, three weeks later. It’s so heavy. It’s so real. I keep dropping it, and I have to ask myself: was I really there? Did this really happen? Did I really swear live on TV? Did I really hug Prince William?” Yes, Jill. Yes you did. And then you conducted an actual interview with the trophy in Trafalgar Square.
Apparently retiring from football for a comparatively sedate life serving double decaf non-fat lattes (medium foam) dusted with just the faintest whispers of cinnamon in the Manchester coffee shop, Boxx2Boxx, she co-owns with her partner, one suspects football has not seen the last of this particular barista, whether she ends up in coaching, doing media work or in an administrative role. A woman of her long experience has plenty to offer the game, much like her goalscoring fellow Lioness Ellen White, who also called it quits but not at a time that was entirely suitable for that particular Fiver’s deadline, and will be a huge loss to Sarina Wiegman’s pride.
“It’s hard to describe in words how much impact they had,” said Wiegman, after announcing her first squad since the Euros, featuring an uncapped Lauren James. “I’ve only worked with them for a year and I’m a little disappointed I can’t work longer with them but I totally understand their decision and I respect that too. We’re all so proud of them and we’re all so thankful for what they’ve brought to the game.”
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I was asked to play in a corporate game at Anfield. I peed in a bottle, poured it all over the posts and crossbar at both ends, and saved a penalty. Then Liverpool went on an unbeaten run at Anfield and won the Premier League!” – Bruce Grobbelaar tells FourFourTwo the real reason Liverpool ended their title curse back in 2019-20.
FIVER LETTERS
“Among all the protests from Manchester United supporters, there was a brilliant example of Scouse wit from the Liverpool fans, which didn’t seem to get the attention it deserved. Just in case you missed it” – Nigel Sanders.
“Such was the fog that descended in the closing minutes of Accrington v Luton in the FA Cup third round in January 2017 (see my photo of the below) that it was only via Twitter that the away fans discovered that the referee’s whistle and cheer from the home fans on the other side of the pitch a minute earlier had been for a Luton red card. The game stumbled to its conclusion, with players emerging from and vanishing back into the mist. Could they just not be bothered to abandon the game and start all over again? Of course, it would have been fine if we hadn’t lost” – Neil Rose.
“I’d like to add Bolton’s goalless draw at Blackeye Rovers in January 2006 to the list of matches that should have been postponed. The weather wasn’t bad for a January in east Lancashire, but the game was just terrible” – Simon Riley.
“I remember travelling to Maidstone United to watch Charlton lose a cup game on a rain-soaked pitch in 1979. The game was notable for Mike Flanagan and Derek Hales being sent off for fighting with each other. What is less remembered is that Charlton were awarded a penalty and captain Keith ‘the Cream Bun’ Peacock, in the autumn of his playing career, elected to take it. His effort rolled a few yards and stopped in the mud in front of the keeper. Also, I lost my motorbike keys” – Tony Lehrle-Fry.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. And you can always tweet The Fiver via @guardian_sport. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Neil Rose.
NEWS, BITS AND BOBS
Chelsea goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger is poised for a spell away from the game after confirming a recurrence of thyroid cancer. “As a sportsperson you have to fight every day to be the best you can be and that’s something I will continue to do,” announced Berger.
Ebony Salmon and Lauren James have leaped into England’s first squad since their Euro 2022 triumph, with the midfielder Jordan Nobbs also returning and Sarina Wiegman offering Steph Houghton hope of a recall.
The Football League has condemned Crawley supporters for their post-game pitch invasion after their shock win over Fulham in the League Cup. ‘There can be no justification to enter the pitch without authority,” an EFL statement said.
Elsewhere in Fizzy Cup action: Everton narrowly avoided a slip-up against the Cod Army in Fleetwood, while Daniel Iversen’s debutant heroics helped Leicester scrape through at Stockport, via a penalty shootout.
Newcastle are poised to break their transfer record by splurging £59m on Real Sociedad’s Swedish star striker, Alexander Isak.
Callum Hudson-Odoi will try to do a Sancho on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, with his move to the German club close to being finalised. Meanwhile, Chelsea have had a third bid for Wesley Fofana, potentially worth about £70m, rejected by Leicester.
Howard Webb will soon be spending his Monday mornings shaking his head in front of a monitor, after being appointed as PGMOL’s new chief refereeing officer. The former official will take up his new role after the current MLS season ends.
STILL WANT MORE?
Jill Scott created an atmosphere where she was a friend first and a footballer second. Probably an entertainer third. Anita Asante has more.
Ukraine’s football restarts with flags, a message from Volodymyr Zelenskiy but no crowd. Nick Ames was at the NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium for Shakhtar’s game against Metalist, which started with a kick-off by an injured soldier.
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