Wayne Rooney has revealed the lengths that he went to as a youngster in order to express his "love" for Everton idol Duncan Ferguson, with the ex-England captain admitting that he "used to write to him in jail". Rooney grew up as a passionate Toffees supporter, with no-nonsense Scottish striker Ferguson becoming a cult hero at Goodison Park across two spells.
Why Ferguson became a hero to Rooney
Ferguson first linked up with the Toffees, initially on loan from Glasgow-based giants Rangers, in 1994. He played over 100 times for the club, scoring 42 goals, before moving to Newcastle. The enigmatic frontman returned to Merseyside in 2000 and found the target on 30 occasions through 140 matches before hanging up his boots in 2006.
Rooney had broken through by then, with his senior bow being taken in at the age of 16 in 2002. He got the chance to play alongside Ferguson before becoming the most expensive teenager in world football when Manchester United came calling in 2004 – with the Merseyside native, who won Premier League and Champions League titles at Old Trafford, going on to become the Red Devils’ all-time leading scorer.
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Jail time: Rooney wrote to incarcerated Ferguson
Rooney was always a passionate performer on the pitch, with inspiration being taken from Ferguson – who spent time behind bars in 1994 after headbutting an opponent during his spell at Rangers.
Young Rooney overlooked that misdemeanour, telling when asked about his boyhood heroes: "There was a guy who played for Everton and he actually went to jail. And I was a young boy who supports Everton, so I used to write to him in jail and then he’d write back. And then, four years later, I played alongside him. So for me that was the biggest thing. It was just me telling him how much I love him." Rooney added on the other stars that he looked up to: "There’s so many and like Ronaldo, R9, for me as well. Just watching him play was incredible. He was like my favourite player, really."
Everton family: Ferguson welcomed support
Ferguson has previously addressed his surprising communication with Rooney, with the future all-time great an unknown youngster when contact was first made.
In , the Toffees icon said: “What got me through the long, lonely nights in Barlinnie was that I must have received 10,000 letters. Incredible. I killed time reading them all. Fans wishing me well and, yes, some expressing rather different sentiments.
"A young boy called Wayne Rooney wrote. He must have been only nine or 10. I wrote him back, without a clue who this passionate football fan would turn out to become. (Apparently, Wayne still has the letter today.)
"Some people sent me books – books about pigeons, books about football, books about breaking out of prison. They sent me a blow-up sex doll, which got confiscated! But the letters I treasured most were from Evertonians like Wayne.
"Looking back now, I still can’t believe the top brass of Everton – my manager Joe Royle, Club Chairman Peter Johnson and Director Clifford Finch – came to see me. It was really nice of them, brave as well. They came into the waiting room at Barlinnie, and it’s like Beirut in there. A total war zone – people bringing drugs, and misery and menace in the air. Having that support from the high-ups at Everton and the fans meant the world."
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Management & documentary: Rooney since retiring
Rooney made his own return to Everton in 2017 following a glittering 13-year stint with Manchester United. He spent just one season at Goodison – scoring 11 goals, including one memorable effort from the halfway line against West Ham.
Rooney spent time in management after hanging up his boots, but struggled across spells with Derby, D.C. United, Birmingham and Plymouth. He is now back on punditry duty and preparing to star in a Disney+ documentary series alongside wife Coleen and their four sons – with eldest, Kai, looking to forge his own career as a professional footballer after catching the eye in United’s fabled academy system.
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is carrying the hopes of a city starved for sports success on his back this summer—but on Monday, he won't carry them alone.
Reiterating previous statements, Raleigh told Fox's crew that he will involve two family members in his much-anticipated Home Run Derby appearance.
"I'm super excited. My dad's been throwing to me my whole life. My little brother, he's playing right now on the travel-ball circuit, and he's a catcher, so hopefully he doesn't clank any as well," Raleigh said. "It'll be a lot of fun."
Raleigh's father Todd coached Western Carolina and Tennessee in the collegiate ranks from 2000 to '11, while his brother Todd Jr., 15, is indeed a player on the travel circuit.
Cal has 38 home runs this season to go with 82 RBIs, and his Mariners currently occupy the American League's third wild-card position. His home runs Monday are likely to be the most-viewed of his season so far, but they will almost certainly not be his last.
In 2021, to the dismay of their fans, the Chicago Cubs sent shortstop Javier Baez to the New York Mets via trade. Unbeknownst to Cubs fans at the time, the next face of the franchise was coming back.
Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has been the heart and soul of Chicago this year as the team jumped out to a 44–28 start—a record that, if sustained over a full season, would be the franchise's best since it won the World Series in 2016.
The 23-year-old Sherman Oaks, Calif., native has gone from a capable everyday player to a bona fide National League MVP candidate, and he showed the baseball world why Tuesday against the Milwaukee Brewers.
First, he made a diving catch to rob Brewers second baseman Brice Turang of a hit.
Then, he bashed a 452-foot solo home run that struck Wrigley Field's right-field scoreboard.
The Cubs won 5–3 Tuesday, and would seem to have bigger and better victories in their future.
Punjab Kings created a new record by defending 111 against Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2025
Varun Shetty16-Apr-20252:07
Rayudu: ‘Chahal bowled to get a wicket, not to defend’
111PBKS vs KKR, Mullanpur, 2025 Punjab Kings (PBKS) went from failing to defend 245 one game to defending 111 the next. Chasing 112, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were 7 for 2, then 72 for 3, and then 95 all out. Chahal was clattered for 16 in his last over by Russell, who kept KKR in the game for a little longer, but the legspinner ended with 4 for 28, which proved pivotal. Marco Jansen and Arshdeep Singh chipped in at the end to close the job. The ball turned and gripped but not enough to explain how a team chasing 112 went from cruise control to losing six wickets in 5.2 overs.116/9CSK vs KXIP, Durban, 2009 This was back when 116 in T20 cricket could still be competitive, especially if Muthiah Muralidaran was on your side. Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) batting spluttered on a slow pitch, but Kings XI Punjab’s (KXIP) chase was less of a reply and more of a slow surrender. R Ashwin and Suresh Raina bowled eight overs for 30 between them, taking four wickets. Muralidaran went for eight in his four and also took two wickets. KXIP never looked in a hurry.Siddarth Kaul’s three-for helped Sunrisers Hyderabad defend 118•BCCI118SRH vs MI, Mumbai, 2018 Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) came into this match missing Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Billy Stanlake, got bowled out in 18.4 overs and then produced one of the sharpest defensive bowling displays seen in the IPL. Rashid Khan bowled 16 dots in his four overs, taking 2 for 11. Siddarth Kaul hit hard lengths during his three-for and dismissed Mumbai Indians’ (MI) last hope in Hardik Pandya, whose 3 off 19 was a painful crawl. Basil Thampi closed it all out after dismissing the set Suryakumar Yadav in the 16th over. MI lasted a ball more than SRH but made only 87.119/8KXIP vs MI, Durban, 2009 KXIP’s three-pronged pace attack bowled canny spells to rock MI’s chase, and despite a composed half-century from JP Duminy, KXIP hung on to complete a nerve-wracking three-run victory. MI hardly set a wrong foot forward from the time they lost the toss, striking early through spin and keeping their hands on the jugular through Lasith Malinga’s late strikes, but they failed to chase 120. Earlier, Sangakkara had kept the KXIP innings alive with an unbeaten 45 and it proved to be decisive.119/8SRH vs PW, Pune, 2013 Pune Warriors (PW) needed 19 off 19 balls. They had six wickets in hand. And then Amit Mishra happened. He took a hat-trick and ended with figures of 4 for 19, after making an important 30 off 24 earlier when SRH themselves were 44 for 6. PW batted only 13 off those last 19 balls to lose their remaining six wickets. Mishra walked off with a shrug. It was the third hat-trick of his IPL career.
تحدث مراسل نادي ليفربول، آدم باتل، عبر شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية عن التصريحات النارية التي أدلى بها النجم المصري محمد صلاح، ضد الإدارة والمدرب آرني سلوت بسبب وضعه الراهن.
ويعاني محمد صلاح من التهميش حيث قرر المدرب آرني سلوت إجلاسه على دكة البدلاء، في المباريات الثلاث الماضية، ولم يلعب إلا شوطًا واحدًا طوال تلك اللقاءات.
ولم يعد محمد صلاح قادرًا على تحمل ما يحدث معه حيث خرج إلى وسائل الإعلام وأدلى بتصريحات هجومية صريحة ضد إدارة ليفربول وآرني سلوت، أمس.
وعن ذلك، قال آدم باتل، مراسل ليفربول عبر شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “إذا كان محمد صلاح قد خاض مباراته الأخيرة مع ليفربول، فسيُخلد الملك المصري كأسطورة من أساطير النادي، منذ انضمامه مقابل 34 مليون جنيه إسترليني من روما عام 2016، سجل اللاعب البالغ من العمر 33 عامًا 188 هدفًا في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز وحده”.
وأضاف: “فقط آلان شيرر (260)، وهاري كين (213)، وواين روني (208) يتفوقون على محمد صلاح في عدد الأهداف البالغ 190 هدفًا في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، حيث سجل هدفين مع تشيلسي خلال فترة وجوده هناك في موسم 2013-2014، كما اختير كأفضل لاعب في الدوري الإنجليزي من رابطة اللاعبين المحترفين للموسم الماضي بعد تسجيله 29 هدفًا و18 تمريرة حاسمة في طريقه إلى الحذاء الذهبي ولقب الدوري مع ليفربول”.
وواصل: “لكن خلفية ذلك الموسم كانت قصة عقده، حيث كان من المقرر أن ينتهي عقده الذي وقّعه عام 2022، ليصبح اللاعب الأعلى أجرًا في تاريخ ليفربول، في صيف 2025، وفي أبريل الماضي وقع عقدًا جديدًا لمدة عامين، منهيًا بذلك شائعات رحيله مجانًا، لكن إنتاجيته كانت أقل هذا الموسم، حيث لم يسجل سوى خمسة أهداف في 19 مباراة”.
واسترسل: “بعد أن بدأ أساسيًا 53 مباراة متتالية في الدوري الإنجليزي مع ليفربول، جلس محمد صلاح على مقاعد البدلاء في آخر ثلاث مباريات تحت قيادة آرني سلوت، حيث لا يزال مدرب الريدز يصفه بأنه محترف من الطراز الرفيع، ويصر على أن صلاح كان لديه رد فعل تجاه ما يحدث معه كأي لاعب محترف”.
وأوضح: “مع ذلك، فإن اختيار محمد صلاح التوقف والتحدث في المنطقة المختلطة مع الصحفيين في ملعب إيلاند رود له دلالة، من الواضح أنه كان لديه ما يقوله، فمن غير المعتاد أن يتوقف صلاح في تلك المنطقة، لقد فعل ذلك بعد فوز ليفربول على ساوثهامبتون في نوفمبر من العام الماضي، حيث ظهر وصرح بأنه “ربما يكون خارج النادي أكثر منه داخلًا”، بعد كشفه أن ليفربول لم يعرض عليه عقدًا جديدًا بعد”.
واعترف: “في ذلك الوقت، صُدم زملاؤه برؤيته يبحث عن الصحفيين، وسيشعرون بالشيء نفسه بعد تصريحاته الاستثنائية الأخيرة، ومع ذلك، ما لم يجد صلاح مخرجًا من الجلوس على مقاعد البدلاء، يبدو أن نهاية مأساوية لأسطورة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ستحدث”.
واختتم: “في نهاية الأسبوع المقبل، سيغادر محمد صلاح للمشاركة في كأس الأمم الإفريقية، والسؤال المطروح الآن هو: هل سيعود في يناير كلاعب في ليفربول”.
Especially ahead of the MLB trade deadline. If looking for an example of this fact, look no further than the case of Cincinnati Reds third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes, who was dealt from the Pittsburgh Pirates to Cincinnati on Wednesday.
The deal—from acquisition to getting up to speed with the Reds—happened so quickly that Hayes didn't have time to get certain uniform items in Reds colors. So on Thursday, the day of his debut with the Reds, he simply wore Pirates-themed colors for his belt and cleats.
It was a pretty amusing sight, as well as a reminder of the business side of baseball.
Hayes thus far is hitless and made an error in his debut with Cincinnati.
Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet will not pitch in the 2025 All-Star Game next week, MLB announced on Friday. He will be replaced with Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize on the American League roster.
Ahead of the Red Sox's matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays from Fenway Park on Friday, the pitcher explained why:
"For me, it’s just looking at my past four years," Crochet said, via of MassLive's Chris Cotillo. "In 2022, I threw zero innings. In ‘23, I threw 13. Last year, I threw 146. And this year I’m on pace for 200. From my standpoint, it makes no sense to make that 201 to throw in a game that doesn’t determine my team’s fate throughout the season.
"It’s a huge honor to be [selected]," he continued. "I threw last year—with it being my first one. If I were to go next year, I would probably throw. But just with the way my continued growth is, and my workload ceiling, I’d rather not add to it."
Crochet also mentioned that Boston's current spot in the AL playoff hunt impacted his decision to forgo the All-Star Game.
Through 19 starts and 120.1 innings pitched this season, Crochet is 9-4 with a 2.39 ERA while leading MLB in strikeouts with 151. His next scheduled start is on Saturday afternoon against the Rays.
Finalista! Após três anos sem avançar da fase de grupos, o Santos venceu o Bragantino na semifinal do Paulistão, nesta quarta-feira (27), por 3 a 1. O Peixe disputou a partida na Neo Química Arena, estádio do Corinthians, e está na grande decisão do Estadual.
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➡️ Tudo sobre o Peixe agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Santos
Os gols do Alvinegro Praiano foram marcados por Joaquim, Guilherme e Giuliano. Eduardo Sasha descontou para o Massa Bruta.
⚽ COMO FOI A PARTIDA?
O Santos sufocou o Bragantino no primeiro tempo e abriu 2 a 0 no placar. Logo no início, Joaquim fez golaço de cabeça, e Guilherme ampliou com outro bonito gol. No segundo tempo, o Massa Bruta ainda não incomodava tanto, mas Eduardo Sasha aplicou a lei do ex, acertou chutaço de longe e diminuiu. Giuliano tranquilizou o Peixe e fez 3 a 1.
Na reta final, o árbitro Matheus Candançan expulsou Hayner, e o Bragantino pressionou o Santos, mas não levou perigo ao gol de João Paulo.
➡️ O QUE VEM POR AÍ?
O primeiro jogo da final do Paulistão acontece no domingo (31), e o Santos aguarda o vencedor de Palmeiras e Novorizontino.
🗓️ Data e horário: quarta-feira, 27 de março de 2024, às 20h30 (de Brasília) 📍 Local: Neo Química Arena, em São Paulo (SP) 🟨 Arbitragem: Matheus Delgado Candançan (árbitro); Miguel Cataneo Ribeiro da Costa e Evandro de Melo Lima (assistentes) 🟨 Cartões amarelos: Matheus Fernandes e Eduardo Sasha (RB Bragantino) 🟥 Cartões vermelhos: Hayner (Santos)
⚽ Gols: Joaquim, Guilherme e Giuliano (Santos); Eduardo Sasha (Bragantino)
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⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
🐋 SANTOS João Paulo; Hayner, Gil, Joaquim e Felipe Jonatan; João Schmidt, Diego Pituca (Rincón), e Giuliano (Cazares); Pedrinho (Patati), Guilherme (JP Chermont) e Julio Furch (Morelos). Técnico: Fábio Carille
🐂 RB BRAGANTINO Cleiton; Nathan, Lucas Cunha (Bruninho), Luan Cândido, Juninho Capixaba; Jadsom, Ramires (Gustavinho), Matheus Fernandes (Mosquera); Eduardo Sasha, Helinho (Talisson) e Vitinho (Thiago Borbas). Técnico: Pedro Caixinha
Whether buying them or producing them in the academy, West Ham United have a proud history of developing some of the best talent around.
The best example of this in recent years is undoubtedly Declan Rice, as while joining a fellow London club is never ideal, he did so after captaining the side to European glory.
However, not every promising prospect goes on to fulfil their potential, as before the Englishman, the most talked about youngster at the club was probably Reece Oxford.
So, Nuno Espírito Santo will be hoping that West Ham’s latest exciting talent follows in the footsteps of Rice and not Oxford.
Where is Reece Oxford today?
Ironically, Oxford’s most memorable game as a West Ham player was his full Premier League debut, away to Arsenal in the club’s opening game of the 2015/16 season.
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The young Englishman, who was just 16 years old at the time, started in the middle of the park and was given what seemed to be the impossible task of stopping a Gunners’ team that included the likes of Mesut Özil, Santi Cazorla and an in-form Aaron Ramsey.
Yet, instead of being made to look foolish, he helped the Hammers to a famous 2-0 victory, and was described as having “everything” by then manager Slaven Bilic at full-time.
Reece-Oxford-and-Slaven-Bilic
However, even after putting in such an incredible showing and being looked at as the club’s “main talent” at the time, per an interview with former West Ham trainee Lewis Page, the teenager would only go on to make another 11 first-team appearances that season, and then go on loan to Reading midway through the following campaign.
Unfortunately, injuries kept him to just five appearances for the Royals, and after two more underwhelming loan spells in Germany, he was finally sold to Bundesliga side Augsburg in the summer of 2019.
Augsburg
80
3
2
West Ham
17
0
0
Mönchengladbach
8
0
0
Reading
5
0
0
Initially, things started to look up for the youngster: while he wasn’t playing every week, he was getting more action than before. But it wouldn’t last, as injuries reared their ugly heads once again.
Then a severe case of long COVID kept him out of first-team action from November 2022 until he left the club this summer.
Unfortunately, Oxford remains without a club today, but at 26, there is still a chance he can find his way back into the game. So, with all that said, West Ham will be hoping their latest talent can follow more in Rice’s footsteps.
West Ham's biggest talent since Rice and Oxford
The good news for West Ham fans is that there are several exciting U21 players in the current squad, like Callum Marshall and Oliver Scarles, but the most promising has to be Luis Guilherme.
The 19-year-old joined the Hammers from Brazilian outfit Palmeiras last summer for a fee of around £25.5m, and while that is a lot for such a young player, it might prove to be a bargain in the future.
For example, one of his best traits is that while he is primarily looked at as a right-winger, he’s more than capable of playing all over the pitch, from attacking midfield to left-wing and even up top or as a second-striker.
Moreover, even though the goal involvements have not exactly flowed freely so far, those in the know are incredibly excited about his attacking potential.
According to respected analyst Ben Mattinson, while the Brazilian gem doesn’t take enough shots, when he does, they are of a “high calibre.”
Furthermore, the more Nuno uses him and the more comfortable he becomes in the English game, the more exciting the Hammers could become.
This is because, according to Mattinson, the “electric” winger is a player who “thrives on transitions” and can “turn past players with ease” thanks to his “elite ball manipulation,” which sounds like a player fans would want to watch.
Finally, while he might not hit the levels of a Dimitri Payet, he could bring some of the trickery and mazy runs the Frenchman was famous for back to the London Stadium.
At least that is what it sounds like when Mattinson describes him as an “entertainer” who is capable of producing “match-winning moments,” be that through a “30-yard screamer” or by “taking on players.”
Ultimately, fans have not quite been able to see it over the last year, but there is a very good chance that Guilherme is West Ham’s most exciting prospect since Rice and Oxford, but only time will tell which player he emulates.
Nuno can banish Soucek from West Ham by unleashing "powerful" Irons star
The West Ham gem could help Nuno Espirito Santo pick up his first win in the Premier League.
Even without the £74m transfer fee lingering over his head, Benjamin Sesko has huge expectations placed on his shoulders after his move to join Manchester United this summer.
The 22-year-old was signed by boss Ruben Amorim to try and inject a new lease of life into the frontline at Old Trafford after a dismal 2024/25 campaign.
His side only managed 44 goals in the Premier League last time around – a tally that was the fifth-lowest of any side in the division – with the three relegated sides included in such a group.
However, Sesko was chosen as the man to transform the situation, with the hierarchy forking out a pretty penny for his signature after netting 21 times for RB Leipzig in all competitions last term.
The Slovenian international will be hoping to make a better attempt at producing the goods than one player who struggled with the responsibility of leading the line.
Rasmus Hojlund’s lack of impact in 2024/25 for United
At this point, every fan up and down England will know how disappointing striker Rasmus Hojlund was for United last season – with the Dane only scoring on four occasions in the Premier League.
He also went 21 games without a goal across all competitions at one stage, further highlighting how little positive impact he had when called upon by Amorim.
However, his underlying stats showcase another level of disappointment that may not have been seen by many supporters at Old Trafford – the majority of which further reflect his lack of success.
Hojlund only averaged a total of 1.4 shots per 90 in the Premier League last season, a figure which ranks him in the bottom 1% of all attackers in the division, according to FBref’s metrics.
He also only produced an xG of 0.24 and an average of 0.5 shots on target per 90, with such numbers putting him in the 9th percentile for both the aforementioned areas.
Such figures highlight that the 22-year-old simply didn’t get enough efforts off on goal, but when they were, many were half chances that rarely troubled the opposition.
His lack of involvement is further evident by his average of just 23 touches of the ball per 90 – often being dominated by the opposition or even being bypassed in attacks by his teammates.
As a result, the hierarchy decided to offload him during the summer transfer window, with the forward joining Napoli on loan with a conditional obligation to buy – a decision that may come back to bite them…
The United player who could become the next Hojlund
Despite making the right call in allowing Hojlund to depart, the Danish international has moved back to Italy with a vengeance – something which is already evident in his tallies in 2025/26.
The 22-year-old has featured just six times for Antonio Conte’s side across all competitions, but has already made an immediate impact, netting four goals to date.
Two of his efforts came in the Champions League against Sporting CP, whilst his remaining strikes came in Serie A – both of which proved to be match winners.
Such a tally is more than double that of any current Red Devils first-team member at present, highlighting why Amorim’s side could live to regret his departure in the long term.
However, the club need to be careful they don’t suffer the same fate with academy grade Kobbie Mainoo, given his recent decline in minutes under the 40-year-old.
The England international was seen as one of the country’s hottest prospects a matter of months ago, especially after he scored in the FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City back in May 2024.
He was named in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024 as a result, even featuring in all but one contest as the Three Lions fell at the final hurdle against Spain.
Mainoo’s rapid rise to stardom led to Alex Turk labelling him a future “£100m+ footballer”, but he’s struggled to have the same impact since Amorim’s arrival at the club.
He only started a total of 18 games in England’s top-flight last season, resulting in the player himself requesting a loan move away from the club to gain valuable game time elsewhere.
Kobbie Mainoo – PL stats (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)
Tally
Games played
25
Minutes played
1656
Pass accuracy
87%
Chances created
1.7
Successful dribbles
1.3
Tackles won
63%
Duels won
5.9
Interceptions made
1.2
Recoveries made
4.8
Stats via FotMob
However, such a request was dismissed first hand, but the situation is yet to change for the 20-year-old, with his only start in 2025/26 coming in the Carabao Cup defeat to Grimsby Town.
He’s made five substitute appearances in the league at present, totalling just 113 minutes, with the player once again likely to be fuming with his lack of first-team action.
Should the situation continue to deteriorate in the coming months, the club could be forced to part ways with the player and cash in on him while his value is at its highest.
Such a situation is unthinkable given his previous success at Old Trafford, but it appears as though the manager simply favours players such as Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte ahead of the youngster.
However, Hojlund’s situation should be at the forefront of the board’s thinking, with United running the risk of once again allowing a top prospect to depart way too prematurely.
Bad news for Sesko: Man Utd ready to pay £52m to sign "one of the best" CFs
Man United director Jason Wilcox is already considering the club’s options at centre-forward.