A POSH street has been dubbed ‘footballers’ row’ because it’s become home to so many rival Premier League stars – but locals say their mansions ruin the area.
The average price of a property on Fletsand Road, Wilmslow, in Cheshire, is £4 million and estate agents describe it as one of the town’s “most sought-after” and “desirable” roads.
The gated mansions offer peace and privacy and current residents include Liverpool’s Andy Robertson and his teammate Alexis Mac Allister, who recently bought a home.
Wilmslow forms part of Cheshire’s ‘Golden Triangle’, an affluent area of small towns and villages that also includes Alderley Edge and Prestbury.
Set in glorious countryside, the area, according to one estate agent, “is a delightful blend of sophistication and rural tranquility” and boasts high-end shops and upmarket bars and restaurants.
Visitors to Wilmslow might spot Marcus Rashfordjewellery shopping, his Manchester United teammate Bruno Fernandes leaving a tanning salon or Manchester City star Kyle Walker’s wife Annie Kilner hitting the gym.
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But some residents admit it can feel like “living in a bubble” with so many stars hanging around.
One woman, who lives near Fletsand Road, said: “I know it’s a popular road with footballers.
“Some people call it ‘footballers’ row’ or ‘millionaires row’.
Molly-Mae Hague is all smiles as she poses in front of £160,000 Bentley after being accused of ‘flaunting wealth’
“I don’t mind footballers living so close but I don’t like it when they buy somewhere just so they can knock it down and build a bigger home.
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“I think it spoils the character of the area.
“My son used to attend the same nursery as Kai Rooney [Wayne Rooney’s son].
“Some of the other Manchester United player’s children went there too.
“I’d see Patrice Evra and Michael Carrick’s children as well as Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy’s.
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“It was the most surreal experience going along to kids’ birthday parties and seeing them there too.
The woman, who didn’t wish to be named, said she had even attended soft-play events when some Wags had gone “dressed up in a blouse and high-heels”.
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She added: “I’ve been living here 15 years now and I do like it.
“But I am conscious I am living in a bit of bubble.
“I’ve seen lots of women with big hair and fingernails outside restaurants in Wilmslow during the day and thought, ‘Why aren’t these people working?
“It’s not your typical town.”
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Our streets are full of supercars worth £1.2MILLION driven by Premier League stars & celebs
BY IAN LEONARD
RESIDENTS in a posh village say their high street is crammed with so many expensive supercars it looks like a car showroom.
Luxury vehicles like the Ferrari F40 – with around £1.2million – are a common sight in Alderley.
Set in glorious countryside, the area is known for its expensive homes, high-end shops and upmarket bars and restaurants.
It is popular with wealthy Premier League footballers and celebrities, and has earned a reputation as a millionaire’s playground and a place to see and be seen.
London Road, running through the centre of Alderley Edge, is frequently lined with millions of pounds worth of Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Bugattis as well as luxury 4X4s and other cars.
According to property website Rightmove, properties on Fletsand Road had an overall average price of £3,900,0000 over the past year – up 144% on the previous year and 30% up on the 2006 peak of £3,000.000.
Tony Goldsmith, 61, who lives nearby for 33 nears, accepts that the town has become an expensive place to live, partly because footballers have driven up property prices.
“But they have to live somewhere,” he said.
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“So it’s not really an issue for me.
“I think Wilmslow has always been an expensive place.”
Tony recalled the time ex-Manchester United player Park Ji-sung had just signed for the club and had been invited to meet Sir Alex Ferguson at his home.
“He knocked on my door with this letter in his hand,” he said.
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“It was an invitation to meet Fergie at his house but he didn’t know how to get there.
“So I ended up taking him there myself.
“Sir Alex doesn’t live on Fletsand Road now but I used to see him quite often.”
Aside from its luxuryhomes, Wilmslow has other attractions.
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The Symposium nightclub has become a celebrity haunt and is where Wayne Rooney partied in September 2017 before he was arrested for drink-driving while taking a woman he’d “kissed and cuddled” home in her car.
Swish restaurant Cibo is another place to spot celebrities and there are many other fine-dining spots as well as designer boutiques, jewellers and high-end furniture and interior stores.
Little wonder then, so many footballers now call it home.
Manchester City have confirmed director of football Txiki Begiristain will leave the club at the end of the season and be replaced by Sporting’s Hugo Viana.
BBC Sport reported last week that Spaniard Begiristain, 60, was set to leave after 12 years at the club.
City released a statement on Saturday saying the club had enjoyed a “trophy-laden” time during Begiristain’s time at the club.
Since he took on the role in 2012, City have won seven Premier League titles, the Champions League for the first time, two FA Cups and six EFL Cups.
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“Txiki will leave his current post following the club’s involvement in this summer’s Fifa Club World Cup and will be succeeded by Hugo Viana of Sporting CP,” added the statement.
“Viana will begin his full-time role in the summer of 2025, but will collaborate with Txiki in the preceding months to ensure a smooth transition.
“We look forward to paying tribute to Txiki’s outstanding contribution to Manchester City at the end of the season.”
Begiristain was instrumental in bringing Pep Guardiola to the club as manager in 2016.
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He has been repeatedly praised by Guardiola for the work he has done behind the scenes with City’s recruitment.
The news comes as Guardiola enters the final months of his current contract and in a week where there has been a verdict in City’s legal case against the Premier League over rules on commercial deals involving clubs’ owners, with both sides claiming victory.
That case is not directly related to the Premier League disciplinary commission which is underway into 115 charges against City for allegedly breaching its financial regulations, some of which date back to 2009.
Jun Yong Park and Brad Tavares meet Saturday on the main card of UFC Fight Night 244 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
Last event: 3-2 UFC main cards, 2024: 84-74-3
Jun Yong Park vs. Brad Tavares UFC Fight Night 244 preview
Park (17-6 MMA, 7-3 UFC) will enter the octagon for the first time in 2024. He will seek to rebound from a heartbreaking split decision loss to Andre Muniz in December, which snapped a four-fight winning streak that included three rear-naked choke submission victories. … Tavares (20-9 MMA, 15-9 UFC) will also look to bounce back from a loss in his previous fight. In February, Gregory Rodrigues stopped Tavares in the third round. Before the setback, Tavares won a unanimous decision over former UFC champ Chris Weidman.
Jun Yong Park vs. Brad Tavares UFC Fight Night 244 expert pick, prediction
The co-main event in the Apex features a re-booked attraction at 185 pounds between Park and Tavares.
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Despite my usual stated bias toward Tavares and his camp, this is a fight between two fighters I thoroughly enjoy watching.
It’s hard not to be a fan of Park, and I can see why “The Iron Turtle” is favored to win on the betting lines. That said, I suspect that Tavares quietly presents a tough stylistic test for the Korean.
Not only will Park have the arguable crux of his game stymied by his Hawaiian counterpart’s stellar takedown defense, but Tavares will also be one of the few fighters who can jab with him (something that has troubled Park the few times he’s encountered it in his UFC career).
Add in the calf kicks that I see being ponent on Park’s stance, and I can’t help but side with Tavares to edge out a competitive decision on the scorecards.
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Either way, I hope that Tavares finally starts to get more respect than he does for a fighter who has been able to stay afloat for so long in this organization.
Jun Yong Park vs. Brad Tavares UFC Fight Night 244 odds
The oddsmakers and public favor the Korean fighter, listing Park -188 and Tavares +152 via FanDuel.
Jun Yong Park vs. Brad Tavares UFC Fight Night 244 start time, how to watch
Park and Tavares are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 9:05 p.m. ET (6:05 p.m. PT). The fight will stream on ESPN+.
THE Turkish referee at the centre of a sex tape scandal has claimed that the X-rated video was faked using AI.
Elif Karaarslan, 24, was this week banned from officiating after a video was alleged to have shown her having sex with referees’ observer Orhan Erdemir, 61.
Karaarslan, who played for Besiktas before having her career cut short by injuries, has denied being in the video.
She said: “I will have a long road ahead legally, but will overcome in the strongest and most robust way.
“I look forward to your full support and love in this process. Crying, screaming and being sad are not things I would do. That is not me.
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“I will stand by my cause until the end. I am just one of many who are being harmed – I hope I am the last.”
Her legal team have claimed that her alleged role in the video, which has circulated online, has been fabricated by technology.
Their statement claimed: “A montaged video was published on social media, created entirely through AI from someone else’s social media account.
“Taking into consideration this montage video, created with malicious and deliberate intentions, poses a threat to anyone facing similar accusations in the future.”
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Erdemir, meanwhile, has confessed to being the male in the video.
Joel Klatt, Matt Leinart and Mark Ingram discussed who has the edge the rest of the way in the Big 12 conference. They discuss teams such as the Kansas State Cougars, Colorado Buffaloes and more!
Denny Hamlin said he had a car to win the race but the issues on pit road kept him from challenging. He obviously was frustrated after the eighth-place finish:
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