Sports
Free gym membership for 11- to 16-year-olds in Manchester
Manchester City Council is introducing free junior memberships / Manchester City Council
Radical move to tackle health inequalities from Manchester City Council
Free memberships will be offered to 11- to 16-year-old high school students
This is an extension of a free swimming programme for under-16s
Council leader, Bev Craig, says they have listened to what young people want
Manchester City Council has launched an ambitious programme to offer free gym memberships and access to fitness classes for 11- to 16-year-old secondary school pupils.
This is an extension of the ‘Free Swim for 16 and Under’ programme which aims to put physical activity at the heart of the city’s drive to reduce health inequalities by opening up more opportunities for residents to get active, improve their wellbeing and enjoy inclusive, community‑focused sport and movement.
Those facing the greatest barriers will also be supported through targeted interventions to help create a healthier, fairer, and more connected Manchester.
Leader of Manchester City Council, Bev Craig, said: “Young people told us they wanted free things to do and they wanted to keep healthy. We’ve listened and made this really important investment.
“After years of cuts, better funding from government means we’re able to invest in the things that matter to people. So we’re investing extra cash in keeping our residents across the city happy and healthy.”
The initiative goes live from May half term at Arcadia Leisure Centre, Abraham Moss Leisure Centre, Belle Vue Sports Village, Broadway Baths, East Manchester Leisure Centre, Hough End Leisure Centre, Manchester Aquatics Centre, Moss Side Leisure Centre, North City Family and Fitness Centre, Whalley Range Sports Centre and Wythenshawe Forum.
The United Football League (UFL) plans to expand to 10 teams, beginning with the spring football league’s 2028 season.
The UFL officially announced in an April 9 press release that one of its expansion franchises would be placed in Oklahoma City.
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“Oklahoma lives and breathes football, so bringing the UFL to Oklahoma City was an easy decision,” UFL co-owner Mike Repole said. “This is a state that shows up, cares deeply, and truly understands the game. From college powerhouses to Friday night lights, football runs deep here. We’re committed to building a franchise in OKC that the entire state can rally behind.”
MIKE REPOLE JOINS UFL: Why entrepreneur is investing in spring football league
The UFL’s Oklahoma City franchise does not yet have a name. The league announced it would be “unveiled at a later date” and that the community would be included in the naming and branding process.
The Oklahoma City franchise will play at the MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium, a facility on which construction will begin within two months, per Oklahoma City mayor David Holt. The stadium is expected to be ready for use in early 2028.
Sports
‘It’s been a hell of a journey’: Andy Robertson to ‘give everything’ to Liverpool until summer exit
Andy Robertson will ‘give everything’ from now until the end of the season in order to finish his Liverpool career on a high after it was confirmed that he will depart Anfield this summer.
The club confirmed Robertson’s exit with a statement on their website and labelled the 32-year-old left-back as a “genuine Liverpool legend”.
Robertson reflected on his nine years at Liverpool where he won every possible trophy including the Premier League and Champions League. He said that he would look back on “amazing memories” but still owed it to the fans to perform at his best when called on for the remainder of this campaign.
The left-back has dropped down the pecking order this year following the summer arrival of Milos Kerkez but can help the Reds finish in the top four and secure Champions League football next year.
“It’s never easy leaving a club like Liverpool. It’s been a huge part of mine, and my family’s, life for the last nine years,” Robertson said. “But, I know football moves on, I know teams move on and I think now’s the time, obviously, for me to move on.
“You know, I’ll always look back on amazing memories at this football club. I’ve put my heart and soul into the club for nine years and when I got my chance I just wanted to make the people within this club and the supporters proud of the left-back they’re seeing perform week in, week out.
“I know my journeys coming to an end, I know it’s been an incredible journey but I won’t let up. This club means everything to me, the fans mean everything to me, the people connected to the club mean everything to me. I think I owe it to them still, until my very last day, I’ll give everything to this football club.
“The time to have the emotional farewell and tell the fans what they mean to me, that will come closer to the end. I don’t think I’m quite ready for that yet.
“It’s been a hell of a journey.”
Liverpool’s statement acknowledged Robertson’s impact at the club and announced a celebration of his time at Anfield at the end of the season. The statement reads: “After nine hugely successful campaigns at Anfield, the Scotland captain will leave the club upon the expiry of his contract this summer.
“He will do so as a genuine Liverpool legend, having played a fundamental role in the successes of recent years over the course of his 373 appearances to date.
“Signed from Hull City in 2017, Robertson has won two Premier League titles, a Champions League, the FA Cup and two League Cups, as well as the Fifa Club World Cup, Uefa Super Cup and Community Shield.
“However, celebration of Robertson’s Liverpool legacy is firmly on hold until the conclusion of the campaign, with the No.26 fully focused on helping the Reds end 2025-26 as successfully as possible.”
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Super Bowl champion LeSean McCoy took to the defense of New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and New York Times/The Athletic NFL reporter Dianna Russini.
Photos originally published by the New York Post’s Page Six showed the coach and journalist holding hands, hugging and sitting in a pool in bathing suits at a resort bungalow in Sedona, Arizona. While a lot of people have been highly critical of Vrabel and Russini, McCoy took no issue with it.
“I like Mike, I love Mike. I mind my business. They work together,” McCoy told TMZ Sports.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back LeSean McCoy runs with the football against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Feb. 7, 2021. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
“Everybody makes something big out of everything. He’s a big-time coach, he’s a big-time player. He was just in the Super Bowl, they got something to talk about. That’s what happened.”
“I ain’t see nothing wrong with it.”
Both Vrabel and Russini are married, and both denied any wrongdoing. Vrabel married his wife, Jen, in 1999, and they have two sons together. The 50-year-old coach said the interaction was completely innocent.
“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable,” Vrabel told the New York Post. “This doesn’t deserve any further response.”
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel watches during the first half of the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Russini, who married her husband Kevin Goldschmidt in 2020 and they have two sons together, said the photos misrepresented what actually occurred.
“The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day. Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues,” Russini told the New York Post.
Vrabel took the Patriots to the Super Bowl in his first season as the Patriots head coach and won NFL Coach of the Year for the second time in his career.
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Dianna Russini attends the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party at Pier 48 in San Francisco, California, on Feb. 7, 2026. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
Russini, 43, joined the The Athletic in 2023, leaving ESPN after over eight years.
McCoy played 12 seasons in the NFL. He spent six with the Philadelphia Eagles, four seasons with the Buffalo Bills, one with the Kansas City Chiefs, and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The 37-year-old won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs in 2019 and the Buccaneers in 2020. In 170 games, McCoy ran for 11,102 yards with 73 touchdowns, while catching 518 passes for 3,898 yards and 16 touchdowns.
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Sports
The Masters 2026 LIVE: Leaderboard, tee times and updates as Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler on the charge
Masters 2026: McIlroy and Scheffler on the charge.
The big dogs have come to play at Augusta today! All we’ve got is the world No 1 and world No 2 on the charge.
Rory McIlroy (-4) goes back-to-back as he birdies 14 to move within a shot of the lead and he’ll have a look at eagle on 15 after finding the green in two… And Scottie Scheffler follows his eagle at 2 with a birdie at 3. Scottie is casually three-under through three.
Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry both see shots slips away as they go back to -2. Meanwhile, Sam Burns finishes up on 18 and cards a 67 – that could well be leading overnight, we shall see.
Leaderboard: -5 Burns (F); -4 McIlroy (14); -3: Scheffler (4), Reed (16), Aberg (6), Day (17), Rai (7), Kitayama (F);
Luke Baker9 April 2026 19:46
Masters 2026: McIlroy joins the club at -3
Rory McIlroy is only two shots off the lead and this is shaping up to be his lowest opening round at the Masters for years. He hasn’t shot lower than 71 in his last seven first rounds at Augusta, remember.
Leaves himself 15 feet for birdie at 13 and the ball lips round the edge of the hole but drops! Fist pump from the Northern Irishman as he climbs to -3.
After his water excursion at 15, Patrick Reed drops a shot to go to -3, so McIlroy is suddenly T2…
Leaderboard: -5 Burns (17); -3 McIlroy (12), Reed (15), Lowry (16), Fleetwood (14), Day (16), Rai (6), Kitayama (F);
Luke Baker9 April 2026 19:30
WATCH: Shane Lowry holes out for eagle
Here’s Shane Lowry’s chip-in for eagle earlier today. It’s put the Irishman bang in contention
Luke Baker9 April 2026 19:23
Masters 2026: Scottie Scheffler makes eagle in flying start
Dream start for the world No 1 and tournament favourite Scottie Scheffler as he takes full advantage of the par-five 2nd. On the green in two and sinks the eagle putt. Immediately jumps up to -2!
Another former world No 1 is also making moves as genial Aussie Jason Day (-3) produces a stunning tee shot at 16 to within a couple of feet and a kick-in birdie. Just two strokes behind Burns now
Leaderboard: -5 Burns (17); -4 Reed (14); -3 Lowry (15), Fleetwood (14), Day (16), Rai (6), Kitayama (F);
Luke Baker9 April 2026 19:19
Masters 2026: Aberg and Rose off to fast starts as Reed in the water
We’ve been focussing on the early starters as they reach the business end of their rounds but the evening crew are also up and running, with Ludvig Aberg (-2) and last year’s runner-up Justin Rose (-2) particularly off to nice starts – two birdies apiece in the opening few holes.
But it’s DISASTER for Patrick Reed. Goes for the green at the par-five 15th in two, twirls the club because he thinks it’s perfect but it bounds through the green, keeps on running and somehow trickles into a little pond in front of the 16th tee! I’m no sure I’ve ever seen someone go in there, it’s not a regular Augusta water hazard – where will he drop from?
This has been solid golf from Sam Burns. Safely on the 17th green in two and his first putt isn’t great but tidies up for par.
Leaderboard: -5 Burns (17); -4 Reed (14); -3 Lowry (15), Fleetwood (14), Rai (6), Kitayama (F);
Luke Baker9 April 2026 19:18
Masters 2026: McIlroy scrambles successfully
Rory McIlroy (-2) is a shade errant with his tee shot at 12 but luckily the ball just rolls back down from the flowerbed, leaving him a putt from the fringe. Nice bump and run and he should escape with a par.
Tommy Fleetwood has been faltering but drains a tricky downhill birdie putt to move back to -3 at 14 and he’s joined by Xander Schauffele after another for him at 13.
Patrick Reed (-4) watches in horror as his ball rolls off the green at 14 and could drop a shot… But no! Stunning chip to within a foot and he saves par.
Meanwhile Brooks Koepka (E) – all rippling biceps in his fetching teal top – with a gorgeous pitch to leave himself a kick-in birdie at the 2nd to cancel out his bogey at the 1st, while Sam Burns scrambles a par at 16 to stay at -5.
Leaderboard: -5 Burns (16); -4 Reed (14); -3 Lowry (14), Fleetwood (14), Schauffele (13), Rai (5), Kitayama (F);
Luke Baker9 April 2026 19:04
Masters 2026: Scheffler underway as Burns on fire
Tournament favourite Scottie Scheffler is underway in the penultimate group of the day, playing alongside Scotland’s finest Bob MacIntyre and heartwarming story Gary Woodland, who has recovered from a brain tumour to become a PGA Tour winner once more.
Meanwhile, further up the course Sam Burns is on fire and he birdies the 15th to move to -5 and into the solo lead. Can he see out the round for a truly spectacular start to his Masters?
Leaderboard: -5 Burns (15); -4 Reed (13); -3 Lowry (14), Rai (5), Kitayama (17); -2 McIlroy (11), Fleetwood (13), Schauffele (12), Day (14), Taylor (14), Couples (5)
Luke Baker9 April 2026 18:54
Masters 2026: Aaron Rai impressing
Par-three champion Aaron Rai is off to a flyer in the tournament proper, sinking a lengthy birdie at 4 – his third int he opening quartet of holes to join the group at -3. The Englishman will try to end the longstanding curse of no par-three winner going on to claim the green jacket in the same year.
Luke Baker9 April 2026 18:35
Masters 2026: Here comes Shane Lowry!
It’s been an up-and-down day for Shane Lowry but here comes the up! He was at -2 through three holes, fell back to +1 but is now surging again and has just holed out for eagle at the par-five 13th to climb to -3, just a shot off the lead! Lowry is 99 yards away, flicks a wedge, it takes three bounces and plops in the hole!
Tommy Fleetwood is heading in the other direction though, bogeying the 10th and 12th to drop to -2, while Patrick Reed gets up and down out of the sand at 12 to stay at -4, alongside Sam Burns.
Bad start for Jon Rahm, whose par putt at the 1st stays left, so it’s an immediate bogey
Leaderboard: -4 Reed (12), Burns (14); -3 Lowry (13), Rai (4); -2 Kitayama (16), Taylor (14), Day (13), Fleetwood (12), Schauffele (11), McIlroy (10), Couples (4)
Luke Baker9 April 2026 18:33
Masters 2026: Jon Rahm underway
The evening’s big-hitters are starting to get underway with Jon Rahm first up, trying to win a second green jacket this week. He’s alongside Ludvig Aberg and Chris Gotterup as they tee off on the 1st.
Rory McIlroy has tidied up his birdie on 9, so move to -2, just two shots back, after the front nine. Pretty good bearing in mind he hasn’t been at his best yet. Very promising
Luke Baker9 April 2026 18:23
It turns out the Orlando Magic‘s win on Monday night didn’t come without a cost.
The NBA has fined the Magic $25,000 for violating injury reporting rules, the league announced on Thursday.
According to the NBA, the Magic failed to accurately disclose Anthony Black‘s status before the game against the Detroit Pistons. The third-year guard was listed as out in Orlando’s initial injury report and subsequently played in the game on Monday.
Black played 15 minutes off the bench, putting up 14 points, two assists and two steals in an important win for the Magic.
Orlando (44-36) has won four consecutive games entering Thursday, moving up to seventh in the Eastern Conference and just 0.5 games back of the Toronto Raptors in sixth.
The Magic are looking to make the playoffs for a third consecutive season and advance past the first round for the first time since 2010.
Kadri is expected to miss a few games with an injury, but the hope is for the forward to return for at least one game before the post-season, the team told reporters Thursday.
Colorado, which has clinched the top seed in the Western Conference, has five regular-season games left.
Kadri suffered an upper-body injury in Tuesday’s game against the St. Louis Blues and was ruled out for the remainder of the game at the start of the third period.
It’s unclear how Kadri was injured but he missed most of the second period after blocking a couple of shots early in the frame.
Kadri, 35, was re-acquired by the Avalanche from the Calgary Flames at the trade deadline after previously playing for the team from 2019-22. He has 16 goals and 50 points in 77 games this season.
Sports
“Error That Will Cost Delhi Capitals Massively”: South Africa Great On David Miller’s No-Single Call
David Miller in action.© X (formerly Twitter)
The match between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday produced a perfect thriller. DC needed eight to win off the final three balls when David Miller clobbered pacer Prasidh Krishna for a 106-metre six over long-off. Needing two off the final two balls, Miller played the ball towards square leg but denied a single despite his fellow batter Kuldeep Yadav being halfway down the track. The South African veteran backed himself to do the job, but Krishna outfoxed him with a slower bouncer. As the batters tried to steal a single on the bye, wicketkeeper Jos Buttler hit the bull’s eye to catch Kuldeep short of his crease and seal a one-run victory for GT.
South Africa’s bowling great Dale Steyn feels that the loss would cost Delhi Capitals big in the upcoming stages of the tournament.
“You are reading Kuldeep’s body language there, where he is saying to Miller: ‘Trust me. I have got this.’ You can see as he hit it, he has kind of taken off for the run and then decided against it, backing himself. He’s just hit a 106-metre six. He’s in the zone. He is feeling it. But anything can happen,” Steyn said on ESPNcricinfo.
“Miller is too good a player not to take a single. You take what is given to you. It’s a draw or tie, and then you back your tailender in terms of Kuldeep to get that single. Or even if he misses it, you are quick enough and smart enough to run and get that bye, which in the case Kuldeep wasn’t able to do. Maybe just a slight hesitation believing that Miller is the kind of player that can hit the ball out of the ground. An error that will cost them (Delhi Capitals) massively,” he added.
Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, and Washington Sundar scored fifties as GT posted a total of 210 for 4 in 20 overs while batting first. DC, on the other hand, were restricted to 209/8 despite KL Rahul smashing 92 and Miller scoring an unbeaten 41.
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There is always a bit more edge when Sligo and Leitrim meet in championship football, and this latest Connacht quarter-final should again bring intensity and local rivalry to Markievicz Park.
Sligo will go in as favourites, having won the last three championship meetings between the counties, including a nine-point success in the Connacht championship in 2024. They also competed in Division 3 this year, while Leitrim were down in Division 4 and struggled for consistency.
Sligo finished fifth in Division 3 with three wins and four defeats, which was hardly spectacular, but it still compares favourably to Leitrim’s league return. Leitrim also won three games, but did so in Division 4 and finished seventh overall.
Derby games can produce surprises, and Leitrim will not lack heart, but Sligo appear to have the stronger platform. They look more likely to control the pace of the game and create enough scores to move on.
Sligo v Leitrim recent championship meetings
- 2024: Sligo 0-15 Leitrim 0-6
- 2022: Sligo 1-19 Leitrim 2-16 aet (Sligo won 4-3 on penalties)
- 2016: Sligo 2-15 Leitrim 1-10
- 2011: Leitrim 1-10 Sligo 0-10
- 2005: Leitrim 1-11 Sligo 0-9
Betting odds
Sligo are start as favourites based on league level, home advantage and recent championship results. The betting is 1/16 or Sligo -8pts
Prediction
Leitrim should make a game of it, but Sligo look the more complete side and should have enough to come through.
Prediction: Sligo to win
Predicted score: Sligo 0-17 Leitrim 0-12
Next up: The winners will play Galway in the Connacht semi-final.
Team News
Sligo – TBC
Leitrim – TBC
Polar launches a new watch
Street X is designed for sports enthusiasts and health-conscious urban users
It supports more than 170 activities, including strength and functional training
Recovery and sleep tracking tools inform users of when they’re ready to train again
Polar has launched a durable, “urban-ready” sports watch offering training and recovery features and long-lasting battery life at a more affordable price point.
Street X is designed for sport enthusiasts and health‑conscious urban users whose routines span structured workouts and spontaneous movement. Supporting more than 170 sports and activities, it covers traditional activities, such as running and cycling, as well as modalities like strength training, functional training and calisthenics.
With recovery and sleep tracking tools, the watch also supports users in knowing when they are ready to train again. The sleep tracking feature detects sleep duration, quality, and stages. It also monitors nighttime heart rate, heart rate variability, autonomic nervous system activity and includes nightly skin temperature measurement.
“More than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas, turning cities into our everyday training grounds,” says Sander Werring, CEO of Polar. “With Street X, we responded to this demand by creating a rugged, design-led watch that combines Polar’s training credibility with bold, everyday wearability and durability at a more accessible price, ready to handle gym sessions, street runs and daily life.”
For the first time, an LED flashlight has been integrated, as well as GPS and route guidance.
Top Rank’s Bob Arum has been involved in boxing since the 1960’s and has been a true servant to the sport, sure to go down as one of the most influential figures in its long history. More than anyone else, he perhaps has the claim to have seen it all.
Arum’s first fight as a promoter was a clash for the heavyweight world title, as Muhammad Ali successfully defended his WBC crown against George Chuvalo in Toronto, back in 1966.
The promoter would put on 27 of Ali’s 61 professional contests in total, but crafted his legacy just as much during the 1980’s, being one of the driving forces behind fights involving the ‘Four Kings’.
Speaking to DAZN Boxing after announcing a new partnership with the streaming service, Arum revealed that his favourite fight is the legendary clash between Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns, where the middleweight duo produced an enthralling three-round slug-fest.
“My all-time favourite fight ever was Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Tommy Hearns, because of the tour that we had them go on to publicise the fight.
“For some reason, because we had them on this tour, they rubbed each other up the wrong way and by the time the bell rang for the fight, they forgot everything they knew about boxing and they just wanted to make it into a street brawl.
“It was fantastic, it really was something. People who were there still recall it.”
The 1985 bout between Hagler and Hearns is often considered one of the greatest fights ever because of its sheer intensity and drama, with both men throwing everything from the opening bell in a relentless, high-risk battle.
In just three rounds, it delivered non-stop action, momentum swings, and elite skill under pressure – a perfect storm of violence and quality that has rarely been matched in boxing history.
Arum also highlighted Ali’s famous victory in the ‘Thrilla in Manila’ as a personal favourite, where ‘The Greatest’ cemented his dominance over Joe Frazier by knocking him out in their trilogy encounter.
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