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Reverend and the Makers frontman on becoming chairman of world’s oldest football club Sheffield FC: ‘It won’t work like Wrexham’

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Reverend and the Makers frontman Jon McClure has quickly tempered expectations of a Wrexham-style transformation after becoming chairman of Sheffield FC, the world’s oldest football club.

McClure is spearheading a consortium that has secured a “significant minority” stake in the ninth-tier club, established in 1857.

He is joined by renowned music executive David Bianchi, who manages artists such as Tom Grennan and Charli XCX.

Despite the Hollywood-backed success of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in elevating Wrexham from non-league obscurity to a global phenomenon, McClure stated that such a journey is an “unlikely path” for his new club.

“I’m not Ryan Reynolds, and I’m not anywhere near that famous, right?” he said. “I’m well known nationally in the music world.

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“The Wrexham thing is not how it’s really going to work. I think it’s a slightly different model. And also Wrexham is not the first club in the world. The club, in some ways, is the superstar.

“You see people bandying ideas about like we’re going to build a 15,000-seater stadium or we’re going to do a Wrexham and that suggests to me that you don’t know what you’re talking about.

“That’s not what we’re trying to do here. We’re trying to do something a little bit different, number one, and secondly, there is a limit to how big you can grow its fan base.

“I think it should live within its means and be sustainable, where it becomes a second club for everyone in the South Yorkshire region, firstly, then maybe nationally.

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McClure stated that Wrexham’s journey is an
McClure stated that Wrexham’s journey is an “unlikely path” for his new club (Martin Rickett/PA Wire)

“And one day, who knows? But right about now, I think there’s a limit, and that’s good.

“Non-league, it’s difficult when you’re at this level. And so that’s why I assembled a team of people who could help me do it, because I am conscious of the fact that ‘rock star comes in and does football club’ could be conceived as a car crash waiting to happen.”

The ‘Heavyweight Champion of the World’ singer and his consortium will initially try to drive the commercial side of the club, focusing on Esports and hosting a football festival.

They will grow the women’s team but accept there is a ceiling on the men’s team’s growth, considering they are in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division and competing with Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United.

That is why McClure will not be following in the footsteps of YouTuber KSI, who made big promises when investing in Dagenham last week.

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“We’re saying, these are our aims and ambitions, and we’re tempered with the reality that there is a ceiling, especially for the men’s team.

“There’s a limit to what can be achieved. And I think whilst we’re all mindful of that, we can’t go too far wrong.

“I’ve seen KSI be like ‘Premier League in five years’ and all this. What if you don’t do it, you’re going to look like a right wally, aren’t you?

“So I think just be realistic and be humble, right? Because we’re Sheffield people, Yorkshire people. Be humble.”

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McClure’s next musical adventure is a collaboration with Robbie Williams.

“Rob lives in Miami, right? And he’s a very, very famous lad,” McClure added. “He is very busy, and does he want to get involved in Sheffield FC? I don’t know. I’ve never asked him.

“I don’t know if that’s the right thing to do. I don’t know. Will I bring him here? 100 per cent yes, and if he likes it, let’s see.”

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NFL world reacts to Chargers agreeing to terms with OL Cole Strange

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The Chargers agreed to terms with offensive lineman Cole Strange on a two-year, $13 million deal. There is reportedly $9 million guaranteed on the deal.

Strange is another former Dolphins player the Bolts have added in the last few days.

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Over the weekend, Los Angeles agreed to terms with fullback Alec Ingold, who spent four seasons under Mike McDaniel as head coach.

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Now, the Chargers have added another former player of McDaniel’s in Strange, who started 14 games at right guard in Miami last season. The 27-year-old should provide much-needed depth to the offensive line, a unit that struggled to stay healthy throughout the 2025 season.

Strange is entering his fifth NFL season and is set to don powder blue for the next two seasons. He has played in 44 games, including 43 starts. He’s spent the most time playing left guard, logging 1,546 snaps at the position. He also has 808 snaps at right guard and 117 snaps at center.

General manager Joe Hortiz said the front office would be prioritizing protecting Justin Herbert this offseason, and they’ve done just that with their additions in the last few days.

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Here’s how social media reacted to the Chargers agreeing to terms with Strange:

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‘Dream is to play senior World Cup’: Yash Dhull opens up on heart surgery and comeback | EXCLUSIVE | Cricket News

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Yash Dhull Exclusive: Heart surgery, recovery and senior World Cup dream

Yash Dhull (Image credit: Instagram)

NEW DELHI: Life felt incredibly difficult and frustrating for Yash Dhull as he spent months confined to the four corners of a room. The 2022 Under-19 World Cup-winning captain was bedridden after undergoing heart surgery, slowly recovering while battling the constant urge to return to the middle and resume playing cricket.Dhull was diagnosed with a hole in his heart after his family urged him to consult a doctor. He had been experiencing symptoms for some time — shortness of breath, constant fatigue, lack of energy and sudden weight loss. As the symptoms worsened, medical tests confirmed the condition, forcing the young cricketer to step away from the game and focus on treatment and recovery.

Yash Dhull Exclusive: Heart surgery, recovery and senior World Cup dream

“Many times it happened that after playing a full match, like a national match, I would feel extremely tired and it felt like my fitness was gradually going down. Later, when I was in a camp, the issue was detected there. I got tests done again and that’s when we found out exactly what it was. Even the doctors were a little surprised — they asked how I was still playing. I hadn’t realised it earlier, but once it was detected, it meant there was an option to fix it,” Yash Dhull told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.“At that time the timeline wasn’t clear because there was no option except surgery. My mindset was clear, and my family also believed that getting it done at the right time was the better option because the problem could have become bigger later. For me, health is everything. My thinking was simple — if I become fit, everything else will slowly come back. It takes time, but things gradually fall into place. When you are not mentally or physically fit and have issues, you cannot move forward properly. So my focus was to finish this issue first and then see how things move ahead,” he said.After the heart surgery, Dhull was bedridden for several days. As per the doctors’ advice, he was told not to travel or play cricket for a while.But the determined youngster had just one question for the doctors — and he asked it almost every day: “Main kab se cricket khel sakta hoon?” (When can I start playing cricket again?)

Yash Dhull (Image credit: PTI)

“That time was tough. I was itching to get back in the middle. When I started running again, it just wasn’t happening. Even completing one round was very difficult. Slowly, things began to improve. I even tried to play in the DPL in the first year, but it wasn’t possible because my heart rate and BP were going very high. It was very risky as my BP could suddenly shoot up, so I had to back off. Then I started preparing for the season and praying for recovery. Things improve gradually. If you rush them, they don’t work. When you take it step by step, it takes time, but eventually things come back,” Yash Dhull, who led India to the 2022 Under-19 World Cup title after beating England in the final, said.DHULL’S NEXT TARGET: SENIOR WORLD CUPDhull is among the few captains who have led India to the Under-19 World Cup title.India have won the Under-19 ODI World Cup a record six times — in 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022 and 2026. The title-winning captains include Mohammad Kaif (2000), Virat Kohli (2008), Unmukt Chand (2012), Prithvi Shaw (2018), Dhull (2022) and Ayush Mhatre (2026).

Yash Dhull (ICC Photo)

For Dhull, however, the Under-19 World Cup is not just a memory. His next target is clear — representing India at the senior World Cup.“I talk to players like Rishabh Pant, Ishant Sharma and Axar Patel. I’m very close to them and you learn a lot just by being around them. You observe what they do and how they go about their work, and that helps a lot. They’ve always told me to prepare in such a way that when an opportunity comes, you don’t miss it,” he said.Due to health issues and the surgery, Dhull — who played for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League from 2022 to 2024 — went unsold at the IPL 2026 auction.“Yes, you do feel a little disappointed, but at the same time you cannot get stuck in that feeling. You have to get back to your work. If you stay stuck on one thing, you won’t be able to focus on the opportunities ahead. Right now, I’m waiting to see what opportunities come my way. Whatever comes, I’m preparing for it and I’m ready. Anything can happen in life at any time — things can change anytime — so I’m preparing for that,” Dhull said.“The dream is to play a senior World Cup. I am confident that I will play one day. Every cricketer dreams of representing India at a World Cup,” he said.

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Rennae Stubbs accuses Donald Trump of ‘disrespecting’ US Army soldiers killed in Iran drone strike

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Rennae Stubbs recently accused President Donald Trump of ‘disrespecting’ US Army soldiers killed in an Iranian drone strike. The former tennis star criticized Trump as a ‘draft dodger’ after the President showed up to the dignified transfer of the soldiers in a baseball cap.

Earlier this week, an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait killed six service members. The US Army Reserve soldiers were brought home in a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Saturday, March 7 and Trump, alongside first lady Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance were in attendance for the event.

Recently, an Instagram Threads user shared a picture from the event, writing,

“President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President Vance honoring with Dignified Transfer the 6 members of our military who lost their lives. God bless these heroes and their families.”

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Reacting to this, Rennae Stubbs accused President President Donald Trump of ‘disrespecting’ the fallen soldiers, writing,

“Disrespecting them with a hat on. What do you expect from a draft dodger.”

Rennae Stubbs shares sweet golfing moment in memory of her mother

Stubbs at the City Cup (Image Source: Getty)Stubbs at the City Cup (Image Source: Getty)
Stubbs at the City Cup (Image Source: Getty)

Rennae Stubbs recently invited fans behind-the-scenes into her life with a sweet glimpse into her golfing outing. The Australian revealed that she used to often golf with her mother, but hadn’t been out on the course since her mother passed away last year.

She went on to share that she recently returned to the sport, wearing her mother’s chain around her neck, and unlocked an incredible achievement, writing on X,

“If you don’t know, I love golf & so did my mum. She played her whole life & when she passed last year, I hadn’t played golf since. Well I played for the 1st time yesterday, wearing her chain around my neck & this happened! Thankgod i filmed it. Thx 😇 #holeinone #seinseiporcupine.”

As a tennis player, Rennae Stubbs competed on the WTA Tour between 1992 and 2011. The Australian was a doubles specialist, and won four women’s doubles Grand Slam titles as well as two mixed doubles Major championships.

After calling time on her career in 2011, Stubbs shifted her focus to coaching. In recent years, the 54-year-old has worked with the likes of Serena Williams, Eugenie Bouchard, Karolina Pliskova and Samantha Stosur.

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