Families say they’ve been ‘ripped off’ as the kids football camp came with an extra £350 picture cost while the City star was nowhere to be seen for most of the session

A family who paid £150 for their child to attend a football camp featuring an appearance from Jack Grealish have slammed the event as being an ‘absolute let down’ after saying the player ‘only appeared for an hour or so’ whilst young fans were charged for photos.

On Wednesday (August 12), the Manchester City FC footballer, who is currently on loan to Everton, appeared at a special youth camp for boys and girls aged between six and 16. The event was not arranged by the sports star and was instead organised by FlexWork Sports, who host similar sessions with leading sports stars around the world.

Held at the Armitage Sports Centre, on Mosely Road in Fallowfield, attendees were told ahead of the one-off event that it would be a chance to ‘learn skills from Jack and get a pic with the star’.

Click here for the latest on Manchester’s food & drink scene, gigs and more in our CityLife newsletter

But Julie Black, from Reddish, said she was ‘disappointed’ after hearing about the experience from her 12-year-old grandson who attended. She said her grandson didn’t get to meet the player at the event, which had originally been set to take place at 9am but then changed days earlier to 2pm due to Grealish’s club practice.

She claimed the player only turned up for ‘about an hour and a half’ during the four-hour session, and that taking photographs with Grealish or getting his autograph all came with additional costs. It is thought a family photo cost around £350. In addition to the cost of the £150 ticket, Julie claimed adults also had to pay £15 on the day to be able to supervise their children.

“My grandson is very disappointed and I don’t know what we can do about it,” Julie told the Manchester Evening News. “He is a big football fan and a big City fan so he was very much looking forward to being able to play with Jack, but that didn’t happen at all.

“It’s got Jack Grealish’s name on the event, so we expected him to turn up for the whole session and not to just pop up to kick a few balls and then charge his fans for his signature.”

One Facebook post advertising the Jack Grealish event said ‘athletes ages 6-16 will learn skills from Jack, get a pic with the star, get swag’ with no mention of any additional costs. However, organisers have said these optional extras had always been listed on the online check-out page.

The main event listing for the Jack Grealish camp is no longer online, but similar events, including a forthcoming one with Everton star Jordan Pickford, says that the star player will be joined by coaches ‘over the course of the day’ through interactive sessions and unique opportunities to ‘connect’.

“My grandson said he enjoyed being able to play football for a few hours, but I feel like he could have gone to kick a ball at the park instead and not been ripped off,” Julie said. “He said the rest of the event was a let down and that he wouldn’t go again. He got a T-Shirt saying Jack Grealish Football Camp, but the irony was that he was hardly there for it.

“I felt so sorry for him when he came back and said he didn’t even get the chance to meet him. He said Jack only played football with a small group of the kids, and then began taking photos with those who had paid extra.”

In a response, FlexWork Sports said they were ‘sorry to hear’ that the family’s experience ‘fell short’ of expectations, but said that Grealish ‘rotated through each group so every participant had the chance to be on the field with him’. Representatives for Jack Grealish declined to comment when approached by the M.E.N.

The organiser also said that photos and autograph opportunities had been listed as optional upgrades online, and had been included on the registration check-out page alongside spectator costs. However, it said it ‘recognised’ that this might not have been as clear as it could have been, and are ‘looking at how we communicate pricing’ better going forward.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Flexwork Sports said: “We’re sorry to hear that this family feels their experience with us fell short, and we take feedback like this seriously. Every camp we run is designed so kids leave with a great experience and a real memory of the day.

“The event’s window moved from its original 9am-1pm slot to 2pm-6pm due to a late change in club practice. This adjustment was communicated to all registered families ahead of the event, and all families who were not able to make the new time were refunded.

“Jack rotated through each group so that every participant had the chance to be on the field with him. Additionally, Jack spent quality time with a group of campers from the Special Olympics Great Britain.

“Photo and autograph opportunities, along with adult spectator access, are optional add-ons that sit outside the standard camp ticket. The upgrades had their own registration page, and in addition to being available on-site, spectator tickets were a part of the standard registration check-out.

“The spectator fees are consistent across all FlexWork Sports events internationally to ensure the safety of campers, families and the host athlete by preventing overcrowding.

“We recognize this family felt that wasn’t clear to them before the event, and we’re always looking at how we communicate pricing so families know exactly what’s included before they arrive.”

Seven NFL preseason games are in the books, with seven more set for Saturday, but Friday’s three-game slate shouldn’t be overlooked with NFL DFS contests. It features the Broncos vs. Falcons, Buccaneers vs. Jets and Dolphins vs. Commanders, with all games starting at 7 p.m. ET. Your NFL DFS picks could gravitate towards new faces under center such as Tua Tagovailoa, Geno Smith or Malik Willis, or you can take a chance on a first-round rookie making his pro debut.

Jets wideout Omar Cooper was the 30th overall pick but was New York’s second pass catcher drafted, after 16th overall selection in tight end Kenyon Sadiq. However, injury is likely to keep Sadiq sidelined which could force the Jets to highlight Cooper more, making him more appealing in NFL DFS lineups. Before making any NFL DFS picks for this slate on sites like DraftKings and FanDuel, be sure to check out the NFL DFS lineup advice, strategy and player stacks from SportsLine NFL expert R.J. White.

White is an elite NFL betting handicapper who has cashed huge twice in the world’s most prestigious handicapping tournament, the Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest. He’s also SportsLine’s No. 1 all-time NFL ATS expert. In addition, he serves as CBS’s Fantasy expert, making him the ideal expert to dig deep on these rosters and make NFL DFS picks. 

Now, White has turned his attention to the 2026 NFL preseason Week 1 schedule for Friday, and just locked in his top daily Fantasy football picks. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine.

Top 2026 NFL preseason Week 1 DFS picks for Friday

One of White’s favorite DFS picks for Friday, where every player on DraftKings is $5,500 and $6,000 on FanDuel, is Broncos QB Sam Ehlinger. Bo Nix will sit out on Friday as he continues his recovery from surgery, and outside of Ehlinger, Jarrett Stidham is the only other quarterback on Denver’s preseason roster. Thus, those two should see lots of action, and with Stidham the more established QB, Ehlinger will likely get more snaps so coaches can see what he can offer. The former Texas QB does offer upside with his legs as well, as he’s averaged 25 rushing yards across his three NFL starts. Broncos vs. Falcons also has the highest over/under (40.5) of the evening, so this is a great way to get exposure to that matchup.

White’s NFL DFS strategy also includes building around Commanders receiver Antonio Williams. The third-round rookie is among a handful of wideouts battling for the No. 3 job behind vets Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs. Coach Dan Quinn said last week that Williams was “ahead” of where fellow receivers Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane were as rookies over the last two years. Williams was All-ACC each of his last two seasons at Clemson and led the conference with 11 receiving scores in 2024. You can see the rest of White’s NFL DFS picks here.

How to set NFL preseason Week 1 Friday NFL DFS lineups

White is also targeting another undervalued player who could explode for huge numbers on Friday. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is, and the rest of White’s NFL DFS picks, at SportsLine. 

So who is R.J. White including in his optimal NFL DFS lineups for Friday, and which under-the-radar NFL DFS picks offer huge value? Visit SportsLine now to see optimal NFL DFS picks, rankings, advice, and stacks, all from a DFS expert who has cashed twice in a prestigious NFL handicapping contest, and find out.

India batter Jemimah Rodrigues has been ruled out of the upcoming Women’s Asia Cup and Asian Games after suffering a high-grade right hamstring tear while playing for Southern Brave in The Hundred in England. Rodrigues sustained the injury on August 3. The 25-year-old subsequently underwent an assessment by the BCCI Medical Team at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, which confirmed the extent of the injury.

Pratika Rawal returns to India squad

Pratika Rawal has been named as Rodrigues’ replacement in India’s Asia Cup squad. Rawal, who has so far represented India only in ODIs, returns to the national setup after missing the recent England Test due to injury. The opener had suffered a knee injury while fielding for India A and required stitches after hurting herself during the match.

The Women’s Asia Cup will begin in the UAE on August 28, with India placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Thailand and Hong Kong. India’s biggest group-stage fixture will be against arch-rivals Pakistan on September 5 in Dubai. The top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals, while the final is scheduled for September 13.

Advertisement

Rodrigues also misses Asian Games

The hamstring injury will also keep Rodrigues out of the Asian Games in Nagoya, where women’s cricket will once again be played in the T20 format from September 17 to October 3. India are the top-seeded team in the women’s competition and will begin their campaign in the quarter-finals against Japan. A potential semi-final could see them face Bangladesh or Hong Kong, China.

Pakistan are placed in the opposite half of the draw, meaning India and Pakistan can meet only in the gold-medal match or the bronze-medal play-off, both scheduled for September 22.

India’s updated Women’s Asia Cup squad

Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (WK), G. Kamalini (WK), Arundhati Reddy, Prema Rawat, Radha Yadav, Sree Charani, Renuka Thakur, Nandni Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Pratika Rawal.

Trainer Brian Gentle is unconcerned about reducing Coincide’s race distance from 1100 metres to 800 metres as the stable targets two wins in succession.

The gelding, formerly with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, has a record of four wins and eight placings from 37 starts. It was only after joining Gentle’s stable that the horse found winning form.

A victory last start over 1100m at Ipswich could prove advantageous for the shorter 800m journey in the Vale Barry ‘Keith’ Self Benchmark 58 Handicap, provided Coincide gets a clear run.

“Back in distance? I don’t think it is too much of a drama,” Gentle stated.

“He has performed well over 800-metres before and he has shown a liking for Ipswich.”

The six-year-old has a strong track record at Ipswich, with one win and three minor placings from seven starts.

“With his record, he has had couple of unlucky runs but he is a rejuvenated horse,” Gentle added.

“He is the sort of horse who puts in 120% into his race day and also puts 120% into his gallops so at some stages he has been leaving everything on the track.

“At his last four starts he was missing the start on jumping and getting four or five lengths behind the second-last horse. Then he was making up a ton of ground late.

“I don’t know if there’s a trick but since he jumped well when he won at Dalby, he hasn’t looked back.”

Apprentice Jasper Franklin will partner Coincide for his fourth consecutive start.

“Jasper was unlucky on him a few runs back and so I was happy to give him another chance,” Gentle said.

“He wasn’t really happy (with the outcome) then and he said ‘if you keep me on your horses I’ll win for you’.”

Gentle attributes Coincide’s $9.50 price tag to the market’s uncertainty regarding the shorter race distance.

Compare the racing odds at these Australian betting sites.

Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar believes he could have taken 400 Test wickets if he had played under Imran Khan‘s leadership earlier in his career.Shoaib took 178 wickets in 46 Tests during his international career, which ended during the 2011 World Cup in India amid reported differences with then Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi. He also took 247 wickets in 163 ODIs and 21 wickets in 15 T20Is.Speaking on a Geo TV show, Shoaib pointed to his first-class record, where he took more than 400 wickets, and said playing under Imran could have helped him develop further as a Test bowler.“If I had played earlier under the fiery leadership of Imran Khan I would have learnt a lot and I would have taken 400 wickets in Test cricket,” said the 51-year-old, as quoted by news agency PTI.Shoaib made his Test debut against the West Indies in Rawalpindi, his hometown. At the time, Pakistan captain Wasim Akram had reservations about giving the young fast bowler his debut, believing it was not the right time.The relationship between Akram and Shoaib remained complicated during their careers, with both having moments of admiration and disagreements.The two also formed part of Pakistan’s bowling attack during some notable performances, including the 1999 tour of India and the 1999 World Cup in England. Pakistan finished runners-up to Australia in the final at Lord’s.Shoaib also spoke about the physical toll of his career, which lasted from 1997 to 2011.He recalled the routine he followed to stay fit and recover from injuries, including problems with his knees.“I had to wake up three hours before everyone else. I had to cycle first, then go to the gym. My knees would get jammed and lock up.“I would have fluid drained from them, apply medication, and ice them,” said the 51-year-old.

Meralco Bolts’ Jordon Varnado during a game vs Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings in the 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup. –PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines–Jordon Varnado knocked down huge shots in his debut as Meralco took down Barangay Ginebra, 97-88, to stay in the hunt for a quarterfinals berth in the 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup on Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Varnado scored 12 of his 31 points in the final three minutes as the Bolts staved off the Gin Kings’ pesky comeback attempts to secure a much-needed victory that snapped a four-game skid.

Meralco improved to 3-5 behind Varnado, who was reactivated after playing the last six games with Antonio Hester.

He also had six rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks while staying in the game after shaking off what initially looked like a twisted ankle during a fastbreak situation.

It was an impressive showing by Varnado after sitting out Meralco’s opening assignment against Phoenix last month, prompting the team to tap Hester.

Chris Newsome posted 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals even as Cliff Hodge added 13 points and seven rebounds to put Meralco out of the cellar in Group B, jumping to fifth out of six teams in the standings.

Ginebra dropped to the bottom of the group at 2-4 despite 34 points and 10 rebounds from import Riley Grigsby and 21 points from RJ Abarrientos.

Scottie Thompson made his conference debut for Ginebra after recovering from a hamstring injury and finished with four points, six rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes.

David Benavidez has the full support of WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman as he looks to further establish himself in the cruiserweight division.

The 29-year-old made his 200lb debut in May, becoming a three-division world champion by dethroning Gilberto Ramirez with an emphatic sixth-round stoppage.

In doing so, Benavidez claimed the WBO and WBA titles while also retaining his WBC light-heavyweight strap, so as to afford himself the option of moving back down to 175lbs.

Since then, though, it would seem that the American has decided to remain at cruiserweight, having successfully lobbied the WBC to position him as its mandatory challenger.

WBC champion Noel Mikaelian, meanwhile, was already rumoured to be facing Jai Opetaia, who became Zuffa Boxing’s cruiserweight titlist by unanimously outpointing Brandon Glanton earlier this year.

But while their contest has now been announced for September 12, featuring on the undercard of Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, Mikaelian could soon be forced to relinquish his world title.

This is because, according to BoxingScene, Sulaiman has threatened to strip the 35-year-old of his belt unless he and promoter Don King agree to a fight with Benavidez.

From an outside perspective, it seems the Benavidez showdown is becoming increasingly unlikely, given that Mikaelian has reportedly signed to face Opetaia, a former IBF champion, and is attempting to distance himself from the notorious King.

Benavidez, however, is set to secure his three-belt unification match regardless, potentially with WBC ‘interim’ champion Michal Cieslak standing in the opposite corner.

The Polish veteran claimed his secondary title against Jean Pascal, who he stopped in four rounds, but has not fought since their cruiserweight contest in June 2025.