Former football coach and scout Barry Bennell has been sentenced to 31 years for child sexual abuse crimes.
Bennell, 64, was convicted of 43 offences against 11 boys aged eight to 15 between 1979 and 1991 by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court last week.
The former Crewe Alexandra coach and Manchester City scout admitted to seven charges of indecent assault on three boys before the trial, two of whom were also part of the allegations he was tried on.
Bennell, who had previously appeared via a videolink during his trial, was present in the court room for the first time to hear victim impact statements on Monday prior to his sentencing by judge Clement Goldstone.
Goldstone asked police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to consider if there is continui…
Liverpool striker Danny Ings has revealed he spent time studying the methods of manager Jurgen Klopp during a lengthy injury lay-off last season.
Ings sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury ahead of Klopp s appointment in October, ruling him out for the rest of the 2015-16 campaign.
The former Burnley frontman has made a promising start to pre-season, though, scoring in victories over Tranmere Rovers and Wigan Athletic.
And Ings says his watching brief during his time on the sidelines has given him a head start in preparations for the new Premier League season.
The training is very intense, very tactical and we re learning every day, he told the club s official website.
I m playing catch-up really because I obviously didn t get to train …
Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is hoping for further first-team exposure in 2012/13 after penning a new long-term contract.
The 20-year-old spent part of last term on loan at Championship side Blackpool before returning to Anfield and making 21 appearances in all competitions under Kenny Dalglish.
Shelvey, who joined Liverpool from Charlton in 2010, is delighted to have committed his future to the club and believes his style of play could thrive under new manager Brendan Rodgers.
I am really happy, he told the club s official website.
Last season I was itching to try and push for a new contract. Now it s happened and I am ready to kick on again now.
It s lovely to know I am in the plans for the future. At the moment, it s just about getti…
Ukrainian Premier League giants Shakhtar Donetsk have rejected Chelsea s £26 million bid for Brazilian ace Willian, according to manager Mircea Lucescu, .
Willian emerged as a Chelsea transfer target last summer after an impressive 2010-11 campaign for Hirnyky.
The Blues then made a formal approach for the Brazilian in the January transfer window. Obviously, Shakhtar rejected the bid.
Chelsea are at it yet again, with Shakhtar willing to part ways with their talented midfielder, but only if the price is right.
I told Willian he can leave, but only if the right offer is made, Lucescu told Dolce Sport.
He s a great player. Willian was the biggest investment Shakhtar have made in a young player, we have to respect that. He played…
Watford are hoping to persuade Heurelho Gomes to delay his retirement after confirming they are holding talks with the Brazilian goalkeeper.
Gomes is out of contract at Vicarage Road later this month and said in March that he was 99 per cent sure he would retire at the end of the 2018-19 campaign.
The 38-year-old played for Watford in their 6-0 FA Cup final loss to Manchester City, but he refused to confirm after the match whether it would be his last outing in professional football.
And Watford have now revealed discussions are ongoing with Gomes over prolonging his stay at the club.
Defenders Miguel Britos and Tommie Hoban will not be offered fresh terms, however, with the latter recovering from a cruciate ligament injury suffered while on loan at A…
Bernardo Silva expressed his pride at winning his first trophy with Portugal as he secured a fitting end to a hugely successful season with Nations League glory against Netherlands.
The midfielder set up the only goal of the game at Estadio do Dragao on Sunday, finding Goncalo Guedes with a clever reverse pass before the Valencia forward rifled home.
Silva was named player of the tournament after the final, adding yet another piece of silverware at the end of a 2018-19 campaign that delivered the treble of Premier League, FA Cup and EFL Cup with Manchester City.
For me to finish this way it s just amazing, I m so, so happy with my season, so happy to end it this way with these fantastic people that helped us over the past two games and now it s time to rest and …
Marcelo Oliveira is focused on Cruzeiro s Copa Libertadores Group Three showdown with Club Universitario, despite doubts surrounding his future with the club.
Oliveira is reportedly under pressure after Cruzeiro were eliminated by rivals Atletico Mineiro in the semi-finals of the Campeonato Mineiro on Sunday but the Brazilian coach is unfazed by the reports heading into his side s decisive sixth and final matchday fixture.
Cruzeiro welcome Bolivia s Universitario to Estadio Governador Magalhaes Pinto on Tuesday in a top-of-the-table clash, with the Brazilian hosts one point adrift of the group leaders.
Argentine side Huracan, who travel to lowly Mineros de Guayana of Venezuela on the same day, are also in the mix to advance to the knockout stages of the competiti…
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that defender Jon Flanagan will be out for up to nine months after undergoing knee surgery.
The full-back made 23 Premier League appearances in an impressive 2013-14 season, but has not featured this term.
Despite nearing a comeback in March, Flanagan is set for another lengthy spell on the sidelines.
He has fought back having been out for a period of time but the issue that he s had, if he didn t have the operation it was only going to delay it, Rodgers said.
Jon is a really strong character. He trained for a few days last week and looked absolutely brilliant.
I was asking the medics if it was something that he definitely needed. But for him and his career, he definitely needed the operation and…
Real Madrid midfielder Angel di Maria says Jose Mourinho has had a major role in his development as a player.
The 24-year-old, who joined Real from Benfica in 2010, recently extended his contract in Madrid until 2018 after making an excellent start to his career in the Spanish capital.
The day he told me to come (to Real Madrid) I was at the World Cup and I was not doing very well but he kept trying, di Maria said.
I think most of what I am doing here is thanks to him and I try to repay that with hard work every day.
As a player I ve changed a lot with Mourinho and his work. And as a person. To play (for) Real is something you dream as a kid. (I am) very happy with my new contract because I have plenty of years ahead of me.
Di Maria played an…
Owen Coyle has been sacked as manager of Bolton Wanderers.
After nearly three years in charge at the Reebok Stadium, his axing came on Tuesday following talks with owner Eddie Davies and chairman Phil Gartside.
Gartside lured Coyle away from local rivals Burnley in January 2010 to replace Gary Megson but has moved to dispense with the 46-year-old after a poor start to the season in the Championship.
Bolton have won only three of their 10 games in England s second tier since being relegated from the Premier League in May and a shocked Coyle has paid the price.
I have always been driven to act in the best interests of the club and care passionately about it, he said.
“I had fantastic times as a player here and it has been a privilege to have hel…