List of All Articles with Tag 'r'

In stark contrast to their money-laden neighbours, Sunderland are within touching distance of the Premier League’s riches with one of the youngest squads in the Championship. Holding a 2-1 advantage over Luton after the first leg of their semi-final, the Hatters stand in their way of reaching the richest game in football – the play-off final – and the means to unlock hundreds of millions of pounds available to those who play in England’s top flight. The Black Cats spent a decade in the Premier League, before they were relegated with four games remaining at the end of the 2016-17 season. Sunderland’s plight is better known than most, in large part due to Netflix’s Sunderland ‘Til I Die fly-on-the-wall documentary which started with optimism of an immediate return to the top tier, but instead catalogued the disastrous, often embarrassing relegation to League One. That documentary helped inspire Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney to buy Wrexham but now the Black Cats are hunting a Hollywood fairytale of their own. The third level of the English footballing pyramid is arguably one of the most difficult divisions to escape, as Leeds too found in recent years, and Sunderland finished in the play-offs three times before moving back into the Championship in the 2021-22 season. However, Tony Mowbray is on the brink of something extraordinary. After Alex Neil’s departure on 21 August to take charge of Stoke – despite having led the Black Cats back into the second tier – Sunderland have flourished. Despite having one of the youngest squads in the Championship, with an average age of just 23.4 years, they are unbeaten in their last 10 matches. The Hatters’ meteoric rise eclipses even that of Sunderland, having been outside the Football League as recently as the 2013-14 season, though they are more established in the Championship, playing in their third season. But Sunderland will be encouraged by their 1-1 draw with Premier League side Fulham in the FA Cup – although the Cottagers made a number of changes from their usual starting XI – and Mowbray has argued against those who believe promotion would come too soon for his youthful side. They have the potential. And a 46,000 seater stadium with passionate fans who would relish the opportunity to take on their old rivals Newcastle in the first northeast derby since March 2016. However, Sunderland – if they return – will be returning to a wholly different local footballing landscape. While they have travelled to Grimsby and Port Vale, their local rivals are on the cusp of a return to the heights of Europe and have become one of the richest football clubs in the world. In contrast, Sunderland have had a chaotic near-constant change of ownership which has been a source of contention for the fans. Their path to the play-offs was also far from straightforward, having started the final round of matches outside the top six, but Millwall’s capitulation from a two-goal lead to suffering a 4-3 defeat against Blackburn, who went into the game without a win in eight, allowed Sunderland to sneak into sixth. Securing promotion could also be a fitting final tribute for Manchester United’s Amad Diallo, who scored at the Stadium of Light last week, and Paris Saint Germain’s Edouard Michut. Diallo has netted 14 times this season in 41 appearances and is likely to be welcomed back to Old Trafford after impressing during his spell on loan. Sunderland have the experience and they won a play-off final as recently as last year, but the knockout matches are notoriously difficult and Luton will prove tough opposition tonight at Kenilworth Road. Read More Coventry City aiming to come full circle after journey to hell and back When are the play-offs? A tiny ground and a squad costing less than a Man City sub. So how are Luton within reach of the Premier League? Manchester City remember a legend and Real Madrid prepare for Euro showdown Curtis Jones relishing Liverpool run after keeping the faith during ‘tough time’ How Luton Town climbed to within touching distance of the Premier League

Every year, there are prospects who get picked higher than expected. Who might crash the 2023 NBA Draft lottery?We see it every year. The lottery order is set, the NBA Draft arrives, and at least one team breaks from consensus. In 2019, the Phoenix Suns selected Cam Johnson with the No. 11 pick....

Oman Air is saying that one of its Boeing 737s had been grounded in Iran after sustaining damage “caused by debris on the runway” at Shiraz International Airport

Retired figure skater Sarah Hughes has filed to run for Congress in New York

The WNBA has suspended Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon for two games for violating league and team respect in the workplace policies

A US-made Patriot air defense system was likely damaged, but not destroyed, as the result of a Russian missile barrage in and around Kyiv early Tuesday morning local time, a US official tells CNN.

WASHINGTON President Joe Biden said on Tuesday he has vetoed legislation passed by the U.S. Congress to repeal

By Doyinsola Oladipo NEW YORK Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit on Monday against Hyatt Hotels

Leaders from across the continent are heading toward Iceland for a rare summit of the 46-nation Council of Europe that will once more step up support for member state Ukraine and condemn Russia for inflicting war on its neighbor

An IRS whistleblower who claims to have information about alleged mishandling and political interference in the ongoing criminal probe into Hunter Biden has been removed from the investigation into the president's son, attorneys for the whistleblower have told key congressional lawmakers.

President Joe Biden has officially vetoed a resolution that would halt a Commerce Department rule temporarily suspending tariffs on solar panels imported from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam -- writing that passage "of this resolution bets against American innovation."

The Philadelphia 76ers have fired head coach Doc Rivers after their exit from the NBA playoffs at the hands...