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England and Harry Maguire lead tributes to George Baldock after former Premier League star’s shock death aged 31

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England and Harry Maguire lead tributes to George Baldock after former Premier League star's shock death aged 31

HARRY MAGUIRE and Sheffield United led the tributes to George Baldock after his shock death.

Former Sheffield United defender Baldock, 31, was found dead at his home in Athens, just months after his transfer to Panathinaikos from the Yorkshire club.

Tributes have poured in after news broke that George Baldock had tragically died

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Tributes have poured in after news broke that George Baldock had tragically diedCredit: PA
The former Sheffield United star had joined Greek side Panathinaikos this summer

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The former Sheffield United star had joined Greek side Panathinaikos this summerCredit: AFP
He was a 12-time Greek international

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He was a 12-time Greek internationalCredit: Getty
Harry Maguire was among those to pay tribute to the defender

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Harry Maguire was among those to pay tribute to the defender

Greek media reported the alarm was raised by Baldock’s wife, who lives in England, after she was unable to contact him.

She then asked the home owner to check up on him before he was found dead in his swimming pool.

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Baldock was a 12-time Greece international who was eligible to play for them through his gran.

His tragic passing has sent shockwaves through the football world, with players, clubs and national teams alike paying tribute.

In a statement Sheffield United, whom Baldock had starred for from 2017 to July of this year, said: “Sheffield United Football Club is shocked and extremely saddened to learn of the passing of former player, George Baldock.

“The defender left the club in the summer after seven years at Bramall Lane and was extremely popular with supporters, staff and team-mates who pulled on a red and white shirt alongside him.

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“The sincere condolences of everyone associated with Sheffield United are extended to George’s family and friends.”

Manchester United star Harry Maguire – who graduated through the Blade youth team before leaving in 2014 – paid tribute by posting a picture of Baldock on his Instagram page with a broken heart emoji.

His club greyed out its website and social media icons on Instagram and X, formerly Twitter, following the news.

They later released a statement which read: “We are shocked by the loss of our George.

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Greece boss Poyet reveals Sheff Utd ace Baldock played through ‘unimaginable’ injury when he silenced France’s Mbappe

“The family of Panathinaikos mourns his untimely death. We stand with the family and loved ones of George Baldock.”

His most recent appearance had come against Olympiacos on October 6.

Baldock missed out on the most recent Greece international squad, who are due to play England in the Nations League at Wembley on Thursday night, and had been ruled out of the September games against Finland and Ireland through injury.

The Greek national team are expected to wear black armbands for the match against the Three Lions.

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His former club Northampton released a statement paying tribute to Baldock.

It read: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former loanee George Baldock at the tragically young age of 31.

“George made 5 appearances in 2011 before playing for Oxford United and Sheffield United.

“Sending our sincerest condolences to George’s family and friends.”

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A statement from the England team said: “We’re extremely saddened by the passing of George Baldock.

“George was close to many of our players, and represented Greece – our opponents on Thursday night.

“We’re thinking of George’s family, friends and team-mates at club and country at this difficult time.”

His older brother, Sam, played for Derby, Reading and Brighton during his career, and all three clubs paid tribute to Baldock’s passing.

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A Derby statement said: “Everyone at Derby County is deeply saddened by the passing of George Baldock.

“The thoughts and condolences of all at the club are with his brother and former Derby striker Sam, his family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.”

A Reading statement said: “Everyone at Reading Football Club is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of George Baldock.

“A brother to former Royal Sam, our thoughts are with George’s family, friends and former colleagues at this difficult time.”

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A Brighton statement said: “We are shocked to learn of the passing of George Baldock at the age of 31.

“Our love and condolences are with George’s brother and our colleague Sam, and his family and friends at this time.”

The Greece Super League said in a statement: “The entire Super League football family expresses its deep sorrow for the untimely loss of Panathinaikos and our National Team footballer, George Baldock, and extends its deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”

Sports presenter Ian Abrahams said: “Unbelieveably tragic news tonight, the passing at just 31 of former ⁦Sheffield United, MK Dons, Oxford United, Northampton Town⁩ defender George Baldock.

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“My thoughts at this incredibly sad time to his brother Sam, family and friends. RIP my friend.”

Police were pictured outside of his home following his death and are currently investigating.

Police outide the property in Athens following the tragic discovery

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Police outide the property in Athens following the tragic discovery

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George Baldock career stats

George Baldock has tragically died aged 31

2009-2017 – MK Dons 125 games (2 goals)

2011 – Tamworth (loan) 3 (0)

2012 – IBV (loan) 18 (1)

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2012 – Tamworth (loan) 15 (1)

2015-16 – Oxford United (loan) 47 (3)

2017-2024 – Sheffield United 219 (6)

2024 – Panathinaikos 4 (0)

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Saskia Clark: America’s Cup a ‘big deal’ for women, says ex-Olympian

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Saskia Clark: America's Cup a 'big deal' for women, says ex-Olympian

“Alongside the sailing bit, there’s a lot of background work in engineering and boat building, careers that haven’t been that accessible for females so we’re really trying to push the science, technology, engineering and maths aspects to get young women and girls interested in those career paths.

“We’ve done some roadshows in schools in the UK and a big thread of the campaign is trying to push that gender equity.”

The Parkway team was co-founded by Mills and Ainslie in 2022 to fast-track promising sailors and increase diversity in the sport.

More than 300 sailors applied to take part, and 18 months of trials followed before the team was whittled down to the final dozen.

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Others taking part include Anna Burnet, who won a silver medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and fellow Olympians Ellie Aldridge, Saskia Tidey and Freya Black.

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Watch cruiserweight champ Jai Opetaia take 44 PUNCHES to stomach in brutal training routine ahead of Jack Massey fight

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Watch cruiserweight champ Jai Opetaia take 44 PUNCHES to stomach in brutal training routine ahead of Jack Massey fight

JAI OPETAIA took 44 punches to his stomach in a brutal training routine ahead of his blockbuster bout this weekend.

The IBF cruiserweight champion, 29, is set to defend his belt against Britain’s Jack Massey in Saudi Arabia this weekend.

Jai Opetaia took 44 unguarded shots to the body during his session

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Jai Opetaia took 44 unguarded shots to the body during his sessionCredit: SunSport
The IBF cruiserweight champion is preparing for his huge title defence this weekend

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The IBF cruiserweight champion is preparing for his huge title defence this weekendCredit: SunSport
Opetaia, 29, is preparing to fight Jack Massey

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Opetaia, 29, is preparing to fight Jack MasseyCredit: SunSport

Aussie Opetaia has been stepping up his preparation for the fight with intense training sessions.

In footage filmed by SunSport, the southpaw can be seen taking 44 shots to the stomach in quick succession.

Throughout the 34-second sequence, Opetaia makes no attempt to fight back or defend the blows.

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The 25-0 bruiser was last in action in May against Mairis Briedis.

On that occasion he earned back his IBF title, having previously vacated the belt.

Massey, 31, will attempt to dethrone Opetaia in Saturday’s much-anticipated bout.

The Cheshire-lad spent 2022 scaffolding with his brother, before a narrow points loss to heavyweight Joseph Parker the following year got his career moving again.

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In an emotional chat with SunSport, Massey recounted his experiences working alongside his dad at a brake pad factory.

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He said: “My dad has worked at the same brake pad factory for 40 years.

“When I was there he would always say to me: ‘Do you want to be stuck here like me for the rest of your life – or do you want to make something of yourself in boxing?’

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I was packaging up brake pads and considered hanging up my gloves while scaffolding, now I’m making my way in boxing

“When I used to work with my brother, he would say ‘do you really want to be doing this s***?’

“They both told me I could make something of my life through boxing and that has stuck with me.

“It’s been a bit like that Matt Damon film where he is really intelligent and his mate tells him the best thing that could happen was that he drives to collect him for another day on site and Damon has gone.

“They always told me it would be offensive to them if he didn’t go on and make something of himself. And that sticks in my mind.

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“The fellas on sites and in factories are the boxing fans in our country – so it means a lot and it reminds me why I do it.”

Jack Massey is ready for this Saturday night

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Jack Massey is ready for this Saturday nightCredit: Getty

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Alisson: Liverpool goalkeeper set for at least one month out injured

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Alisson: Liverpool goalkeeper set for at least one month out injured


Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson is expected to be out until at least mid-November with a hamstring injury.

The Brazil international was hurt in the 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday and was replaced by Vitezslav Jaros after 79 minutes.

Liverpool do not expect Alisson to be back before the next international break, which takes place 11-19 November following a round of league games.

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Prior to that, the Premier League leaders face top-flight matches against Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton and Aston Villa, while they play RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League and Brighton in the Carabao Cup.

Caoimhin Kelleher missed the game at Palace because of illness but is expected to replace Alisson in goal.

“It is quite clear then that he [Kelleher] is the number two,” said Liverpool boss Arne Slot following the game at Selhurst Park.

“Otherwise, the last time Alisson was injured I would have played Vit, but I played Caoimhin. So Caoimhin is the number two and did really well.”

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Kelleher came in for Alisson when the 32-year-old had a spell out in September, playing in a league win against Bournemouth and League Cup victory against West Ham.

Liverpool’s first game following the November international break is at Southampton on 24 November, before they then face Real Madrid, Manchester City, Newcastle United and local rivals Everton.



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Formula 1 in 10 Years: ‘Drivers as gladiators a thing of the past’

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Formula 1 in 10 Years: 'Drivers as gladiators a thing of the past'

Some of the new elements introduced for 2026 are developments prompted by a crash for Romain Grosjean at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix which even Hollywood couldn’t have dreamt up.

On the first lap, Grosjean made contact with Daniil Kyvat’s Alpha Tauri, which pitched his Haas into a barrier at high speed, exploding on impact as the car became wedged between the metal bars of the barriers which flank a large part of every Formula 1 circuit.

It was the type of crash the sport hadn’t witnessed for decades, and one which frequently led to fatalities in the past.

Little has ever looked more gladiatorial than Grosjean rising from a huge ball of flames after squeezing between charred and twisted steel and striding across to a waiting ambulance, received by disbelieving marshals and medical staff.

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“The engine split from the chassis,” says Tombazis, “which is OK as such, but in splitting it ripped the chassis apart, and so it left the fuel tank exposed, thus fuel came out and it caused a fireball.

“We were very fortunate the driver was conscious and therefore could come out.”

Tombazis then explained how the post-crash analysis process worked.

“Every car has an electronic box which logs a lot of signals,” he says.

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“It logs all the G-[force] loads of the car, therefore it’s possible to calculate the trajectory of car as it was out of control and how quickly it decelerated and how hard it hit the barrier, and how it came to rest.

“This data gets analysed. In addition, the remains of the car, the chassis, gets analysed.

“Some of the subsequent analysis we did, we worked on how the engine would come off the chassis and applied further regulation to ensure that when the engine rips off, the failure points are bolts connecting the engine to the chassis and not the chassis itself.

“So now if things go as planned in similar circumstances, maybe the engine comes apart, but the chassis remains intact and the fuel tank also. So that’s one outcome of that accident.”

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Grosjean, who now races for Lamborghini in the United States, credits the ‘halo’ head protection device for saving his life, after the structure around the cockpit helped to create enough space in the barrier for the Frenchman to escape.

“Without it, I wouldn’t be able to speak with you today,” said Grosjean after the crash.

There have been several clear instances where serious injury has been averted thanks to the halo and other innovations across the sport.

F1’s current quickest man – McLaren’s Lando Norris – agrees, highlighting the crash between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix.

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“It can hold a number of double decker buses without breaking,” he says. “Given the speed we do, it can deflect an enormous about of things.

“We saw with Lewis and Max, where Max’s car ended on top of Lewis. If [the halo] was not there it would have been on Lewis’ head – you never want to know what the consequences might have been if we didn’t have the halo.”

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Chelsea legend reveals boozy Christmas party tactic that stopped him ‘being in a coma for seven days’

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Chelsea legend reveals boozy Christmas party tactic that stopped him 'being in a coma for seven days'

CHELSEA legend Gus Poyet has recalled the sneaky Christmas party tractic he used to avoid drinking too much booze.

The former Blues star jokingly explained how he cleverly avoided “being placed in a coma for seven days” during Chelsea nights out.

Gus Poyet recalled his brilliant party trick to avoid getting too drunk at Chelsea

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Gus Poyet recalled his brilliant party trick to avoid getting too drunk at Chelsea

Poyet reckons he mastered the practice of safe drinking during his five years in West London between 1997 and 2001.

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In fact, the Uruguayan finally held his hands up to admit that he would turn up hours late to avoid a deadly hangover.

Poyet told The Times:“For Christmas nights out in London the players would get together at two o’clock, so I would get there at seven.

“If I start at two — I’m not going to name names but the way some could drink was unbelievable.

“And the next day, they train — no problem. Me, I would be in a coma for seven days.”

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When asked about his social life at Chelsea, he said: “Top. But the drinking culture — I was shocked. I remember being injured, my first night out.

“They gave me a beer and I’m holding it, I don’t know if I’m going to drink. And then they bring me another one and put it in my other hand.

“I adapted. I knew you have to give something of yourself and even if I wasn’t a big drinker I needed to be present. Part of the team.

Poyet won the FA Cup and the Uefa Cup Winners' Cup during his stint at Chelsea - with Dennis Wise  and Roberto Di Matteo

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Poyet won the FA Cup and the Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup during his stint at Chelsea – with Dennis Wise and Roberto Di Matteo

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“So I never missed a night out, but did it my way.”

When asked about the football, Poyet said: “It was physical. I liked it. Away from home, north, it was always tough. Leeds!

Tottenham legend Gus Poyet explains why Ange Postecoglou can end trophy hoodoo and win Carabao Cup despite Coventry horror show

“A typical question they ask me everywhere in the world is: ‘who was the toughest player you play against?’

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“Well, every time you were facing Roy Keane you needed to be prepared. Because you knew he was coming.”

Poyet scored 49 goals in 145 Chelsea midfield appearances after joining as a free agent.

He joined Tottenham in May 2021 for around £2.2m and scored 14 goals in his debut season, helping Spurs reach the League Cup final where they lost 2-1 to Blackburn.

His time at Spurs was blighted by injuries after he sustained cruciate ligament damage for the second time in his career in August 2002.

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After hanging up his boots in 2004, Poyet began his coaching career as assistant coach of Swindon Town.

He later managed Brighton, Sunderland, AEK Athens and the Greece national team until his contract ended in March this year.

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Women T20 World Cup: Watch South Africa’s Sune Luus’ ‘fabulous’ caught & bowled

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Women T20 World Cup: Watch South Africa's Sune Luus' 'fabulous' caught & bowled

Watch Sune Luus’s “unbelievable” caught and bowled as she removes Scotland’s Lorna Jack-Brown during the second innings of their Women’s T20 World Cup match in Dubai.

FOLLOW LIVE: Women’s T20 World Cup: South Africa vs Scotland

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