'How do you put this into words?' - McClean captains Wrexham to another promotion
James McClean toasted a bit of history as Wrexham beat Charlton 3-0 at the SToK Cae Ras to secure promotion to the Sky Bet Championship, moving up a division for the third-straight year.
With the former Ireland winger as captain the Welsh club - whose fortunes have been transformed under the co-ownership of Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney - took an early hold against the play-off chasing Addicks through goals from Ollie Rathbone and Sam Smith in the space of three first-half minutes.
Smith made sure of a third successive promotion for Phil Parkinson's side by firing in his second goal with nine minutes left before the final whistle brought jubilant scenes around the ground as supporters flooded onto the pitch.
"How do you put this into words?" wondered McClean during the raucous celebrations. "To be captain, to be given the honour of being the man leading that, it's incredible. It's one big group effort. You see how tight we are together."
The result ended Charlton's own hopes of automatic promotion, although their place in the Sky Bet League One play-offs is secure.
Earlier on Saturday, Carlisle's 20-year stay in the EFL was ended after a 3-2 defeat at Cheltenham, with George Miller scoring for the home side in time added on.
Doncaster and Port Vale both secured their promotion to League One.
The evergreen Billy Sharp scored the decisive second as Doncaster ended a three-season stay in the fourth tier with a 2-1 win over Bradford, who still have a chance of going up next weekend.
Port Vale secured an immediate return to League One after a 2-0 win at Wimbledon with Jayden Stockley and Jaheim Headley on target.
Cambridge, though, were relegated to League Two after losing 2-1 at Burton, where both teams had been reduced to 10 men just ahead of the break. Dylan Williams scored a stoppage-time winner for Burton, who sit three points clear of the relegation zone.
Elsewhere in League One, Stockport came from 2-0 down to beat Lincoln 3-2 and put themselves third, with Jayden Fevrier, Will Collar and Isaac Oloafe all scoring in the second half.
Leyton Orient remain on course for the play-offs after a 1-0 win over faltering Wycombe.
Orient's fifth straight victory leaves them ahead of seventh-placed Reading on goal difference.
The Royals won 2-0 at Bristol Rovers, who remain deep in the relegation mix, with Lewis Wing and Chem Campbell scoring.
Crawley prolonged relegation by beating Northampton 3-0, John Marquis scored twice as relegated Shrewsbury won 2-1 at Barnsley, Peterborough drew 1-1 with Bolton and it also finished 1-1 between Wigan and Blackpool.
In the battle for the remaining promotion spot out of League Two, Notts County guaranteed their play-off place after a 3-1 victory at Harrogate, where Conor Grant scored a second-half brace.
However, Walsall's slump continued with a 1-0 home defeat by Accrington, finishing with 10 men, to stay fourth and a point behind Bradford.
Tranmere had secured their own league status after a 2-0 win over Crewe, who finished with nine men while Rovers also had a player sent off in stoppage time. Tom Davies and Kristian Dennis scored for the hosts.
Salford got themselves into the play-off places with a 4-1 win over Colchester, whose own top-seven chances faded following a second straight defeat.
Bromley fought back to draw 3-3 at Barrow with a stoppage-time goal from Omar Sowunmi, while Chesterfield thumped relegated Morecambe 4-1 and remain in the play-off hunt themselves.
It finished 0-0 between MK Dons and Grimsby, who are out of the top seven on goal difference.
Fleetwood beat managerless Newport 2-0 while Gillingham had two players sent off during stoppage time in their 1-1 draw against Swindon.
PA
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
13 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Callum Devine and Noel O'Sullivan win Donegal International Rally for third year in a row
Callum Devine (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) took his third consecutive victory in the Wilton Recycling Donegal International Rally amidst some of the toughest competition the Derry driver has ever faced. He finished 20.5 seconds ahead of the Toyota GR Yaris of Welsh driver Meirion Evans while Donegal driver David Kelly (VW Polo GTi R5) took a late third place following the final stage retirement of the Ford Fiesta Rally2 of Kesh driver Jon Armstrong. The top three of Devine, Evans and Kelly mirrored the same positions of last year's rally. The principal constant through Saturday's eight stages was Devine's possession of a lead margin that fluctuated throughout the day. On the first run through High Glen (SS7) Armstrong set the pace and moved from fifth to second with Devine actually increasing his lead to 17.3s. Evans remained third, just 0.2s behind Armstrong and a similar margin ahead of Creighton. However, Paddon slipped three places to fifth as he struggled with the handling of his Hyundai. On SS8 Lough Keel Creighton was quickest to become Devine's nearest challenger as he cut the deficit to 12.9s. Ironically, the former Junior World Rally champion was unhappy as he didn't get into a satisfactory rhythm. Evans, Armstrong and Paddon followed, the latter reckoning it was difficult to keep the Hyundai on the road. The repeat of both stages had consequences for some of Devine's rivals. Armstrong's Fiesta developed a mechanical issue that manifested itself about a kilometre into the stage that cost him some 20s as he dropped to fifth - 35.7s off the lead. Creighton, with another stage win, cut Devine's lead to 9s. Having raised the car and adjusted the dampers, Paddon was best through SS10 (Lough Keel) and slotted into fourth and was still very much in the hunt - 16.3s off top spot as Creighton took half a second from Devine. The afternoon stages were a double run over the iconic Knockalla and Garrygort. Creighton exceled and with another fastest stage time closed to within 5.7s of Devine, who experienced a problem with the handbrake. Maintaining a fine rhythm, Creighton continued to exert pressure on Devine and by the end of Garrygort, there was just 4.9s between them. For rally leader Devine, it was all about remaining calm and composed, a one-time 17.3s lead had evaporated in the sunshine to those 4.9s and given the handbrake issue, he couldn't afford to take any risks. Creighton's Toyota had some understeer that resulted in a slight altercation with the scenery that only yielded cosmetic damage. Evans, in third, had a slice of luck prior to the start of SS12 when he noticed the power steering pipe rubbing off the engine belt and was able to regularise matters. The day's final stages (repeats of SS11&12) brought double drama. Paddon's rally ended with a soft roll and little damage. There was no change at the top as Creighton and those that stopped at Paddon's accident were all given Devine's time for the stage. Creighton's bid for victory ended on the day's final stage when he punctured that saw him slide off the road - losing in excess of seven minutes. Overnight, he was classified 16th but opted not to compete on Sunday. Devine was back in something of a comfort zone overnight - leading Evans by 21.8s with Donegal's David Kelly (VW Polo GTi R5) 40.7s further adrift in what was a repeat of last year's final top three. Tyre choice was a lottery for Sunday's opening loop of three stages that saw Devine stretch his advantage over Evans to 30.1s as Armstrong was best on Atlantic Drive to leapfrog Kelly and slot into third over the wet roads. On a bone dry Fanad Head, Evans set the pace and pared the deficit back to 22.6s. Elsewhere, Kelly, Moffett and Michael Boyle (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) completed the top six, the latter taking advantage after his father Declan, in a similar car, who lost time with a front right wheel puncture. On the closing loop Devine secured his third consecutive victory in Donegal. "I was quite happy with my pace all weekend. I didn't have any moments." Given the calibre of the opposition, he concluded: "It just shows you the (pace) Irish Tarmac Rally Championship is pretty fast." Wilton Recycling Donegal International Rally (Round 4, NAPA Auto Parts Irish Tarmac Rally Championship) Letterkenny 1. C. Devine/N. O'Sullivan (Skoda Fabia RS Rally) 2h. 23m. 30.2s 2. M. Evans/G. Conway (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2)+20.5s 3. D. Kelly/A. Kierans (VW Polo R5)+1m. 02.4s 4. J. Moffett/A. Hayes (Hyundai i20 R5)+1m. 48.2s 5. M. Boyle/D. McCafferty (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+3m. 18.0s 6. D. Boyle/P. Walsh (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+4m. 03.3s 7. K. Eves/C. Melly (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+4m. 39.4s 8. J. Ford/N. Shanks (Citroen C3 Rally2)+5m. 27.4s 9. R. Loughran/D. McGettigan (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+6m. 28.4s 10. M. Boyle/G. Byrne (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+8m. 03.6s.
The 42
21 hours ago
- The 42
One of 3 outfielders to play every minute in League One last season on his Ireland ‘dream'
WHILE MOST of Ireland's English Football League-based players could fully relax for a couple of weeks this summer, Sean Roughan was thinking hard about a big decision. After six years at Lincoln City, the 22-year-old defender decided he was moving on. While grateful to the club for helping to develop him, he felt now was the time to take the next step in his career to progress further. Roughan had moved over to England at 16, and the youngster was able to do his Leaving Cert remotely, with the club hiring a tutor to prepare him for the exams. Director of Football Jez George mentioned this factor on the official club website news article confirming the player's departure. 'This story also wouldn't have been possible without the support of Mark Wallace, the headmaster of Lincoln Minster School at the time, who found a way to deliver the curriculum with the help of numerous teachers, and Louise Costello, who tutored Sean in Gaelic. They all had a harder job than the football staff!' Roughan ultimately repaid the significant investment made by the English club in 2019. He registered over 150 appearances, becoming a regular in the last three seasons, having impressed on loan at Drogheda in 2022. The Dubliner was particularly eye-catching in the 2024-25 campaign, as he was one of three outfield players in League One to complete every minute of action (Bristol Rovers' James Wilson and Reading's Lewis Wing were the others). Such a feat is rare, especially for someone of Roughan's age (the other two aforementioned footballers are 36 and 29). When you consider that as a teenager he had been seriously hampered by quad and ankle injuries, and had to undergo surgery as a result of these problems in 2021, the achievement is even more impressive. So with all those minutes under his belt, there was unsurprisingly plenty of interest in Roughan this summer. It was a difficult choice, but in the end, he opted to sign a three-year deal with Huddersfield Town. Advertisement In the process, he rejected two offers from clubs in the Championship to join the team that finished 10th in League One last season, 14 points adrift of the playoff spots. Roughan knew that staying in England's third tier would likely undermine his 'dream' of playing for the Irish senior team, at least in the short term, as footballers competing below the Championship are seldom considered for a call-up by national team manager Heimir Hallgrímsson. However, the former Ireland U21 international is confident it will ultimately be the right move for him. 'It would help me be in the Ireland picture more, [playing in the Championship], which is the biggest dream I have to play out in front of Aviva,' he tells The 42. 'But it was one of them where everything in good time, I thought.' He adds: 'Everything that you do in football is a risk, and you just have to hope that it pays off.' Expanding on his reasons for choosing Huddersfield, Roughan says: 'Just talking to people around the club, it's going places, and that's what I liked about it. I wanted to be at a project where they're going forward and not somewhere that they're going to be happy to stay in the position they are. I want somewhere that is challenging, and that's going to challenge you.' Roughan says that it was 'the biggest decision I've made in my career to date'. Former Ipswich coach Lee Grant was recently appointed Huddersfield boss. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo The club themselves are in transition. Last month, Lee Grant was appointed manager, following three years as first-team coach at Kieran McKenna's Ipswich Town, who achieved back-to-back league promotions during that period before their recent relegation from the Premier League. 'Everyone that I've talked to about him, and people close to me, thought he was a really nice guy and and that he'd probably be the best to try to develop me,' Roughan says of Grant, who as a player had spells with Derby, Sheffield Wednesday, Burnley and Stoke before spending the final four years of his career as a backup goalkeeper at Man United. Joining Grant in the backroom staff is former Ireland international Paul McShane, with the pair having previously worked together at the Old Trafford club. Roughan has also worked with McShane, as the Wicklow native is the Ireland U21s assistant boss. Two other highly-rated coaches have joined the staff as well. Marc Bridge-Wilkinson and Jonathan Robinson both had lengthy spells in Liverpool's academy — helping develop players such as Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah and Tyler Morton — while the latter was also recently Steven Gerrard's assistant at Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq. All these changes fit with Huddersfield's philosophy of creating an exciting young squad and turning footballers of potential into top professionals. 'The gaffer has been at big clubs as well, and he's been around when they've been in the Prem,' says Roughan. 'He's been at United, so he's well in the know of what you have [to do to get] there, or how you get better, and [the same goes for] the people around him as well.' On playing every minute last season, Roughan adds: 'What I tried doing was controlling being fit and available. And if you're fit and available for any manager, they're going to like you. 'There were games where I wasn't great, but [it's about] just trying to stay consistent in that moment, not making it a very, very bad game. And thankfully, the gaffer [Michael Skubala] still had faith to keep playing me, even if stuff went wrong, which I can't thank Lincoln enough for, because sometimes people are fit for the full season, but don't play a full season. So yeah, it's a good milestone to hit, and not many people do it in their career, so hopefully I can do it twice.' Roughan has also had plenty of help from people around him. His mother, Charlotte, is a fellow fitness fanatic who owns a gym in Ashbourne, and from a young age, she instilled in him the importance of diet and nutrition. 'You turn up to a game, if you haven't refuelled your body well, you could get an injury, because rest and the food is probably the most important thing to do outside of football, to make sure that you're ready and you're fit.' Even during his few weeks off in the summer, Roughan says he rarely indulges in junk food or deviates from a strict dietary plan. 'In the off-season, you don't really do stuff like that. The body is not used to it. So you say you're going to do it, but then when you get to it, you're like: 'No, I'm not really that bothered.' Or: 'I don't want to feel sick.'' Roughan may not be closing in on making the Irish squad just yet, but one factor that could help him down the line is his versatility. According to Transfermarkt, of his recent appearances, he has played 56 games as a centre back, 33 at left back, and 24 on the left of midfield. Hallgrímsson has plenty of depth in the centre-back position, but less so at left-back, where Roughan has predominantly played lately, and Ireland's regular in that position, Robbie Brady, at 33, is closer to the end of his career than the start. But the youngster knows he still has plenty of work to do for that dream to become a reality. 'Things move quickly in football,' he says. 'The train's never going to wait for someone if they're late. So football's not going to wait for you — you have to get on with it. 'And if you're not going to be there or thereabouts, you're going to be left behind.'
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Former Championship manager, 44, now working at Bristol Airport as picture of him in uniform goes viral
A FORMER Championship manager has swapped wingers for wings - by taking a job at Bristol Airport. And fans could barely believe their eyes as he opted for a high-viz instead of a high line. 2 Luke Williams was dismissed as Swansea manager in February Credit: Getty 2 He has taken on a new job helping those with mobility difficulties at Bristol Airport Credit: Ex-Swindon and Notts County chief Luke Williams was Swansea boss from January 2024 until his The London-born gaffer, 44, was placed on gardening leave. But despite no doubt receiving a pay-off from the Welsh club when axed four months ago, he was keen to do something worthwhile during his time out of the game. So much so that as he awaits a new stint in a dugout, kind-hearted Williams has undertaken a gig helping disabled and limited-mobility passengers around the Bristol Airport terminal, as reported by READ MORE ON FOOTBALL He started the job two weeks ago. And it did not take long for a photo of him at his new workplace to go viral. The snap showed humble Williams wearing his yellow reflective vest uniform and lanyard coming out of the lift in Bristol. An Most read in Football CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS One replied: "He's just doing this because he's bored, he genuinely doesn't care about others' opinions and you have to respect it." Another commented: "Fair play to the guy." Former Premier League manager is told 'f--- you' by his own player before he shushes him in furious Club World Cup row A third joked: "Managing in the top flight." A fourth added: "Cardiff City fan here with nothing but respect for this. Call me woke if you want. (*best believe I'll turn up in full bluebirds kit when I fly out next week)" And a final person typed: "Clearly has a massive work ethic. Good luck to him!" Williams told He also revealed how he loaded lorries for BHS and drove minibuses to and from nightclubs and airports to fund his early coaching career. In those days, he collected £1.50 for every player who attended his sessions. Williams also applied for an electrician course when he left his coaching role with
