Latest News

HARRY WOOD and his Shelbourne pals have done pre-season altitude training to ensure they are ready to conquer their Everest again.

Wood scored the title-winning goal last season against Derry City as Shels planted their flag at the Premier Division summit.

And Damien Duff has had a novel way of preparing his players for staying in rarefied air at the top again in 2025.

Wood revealed: “We did an altitude chamber this year, which was really tough. We all enjoyed it.

“It’s where the air decreases by 30 per cent and it’s 30 degrees, and we were doing some running, rowing and skiing. It was good and something different.

“Whatever you do there and how much effort you put into it, you’ll see next week as you will be fitter and stronger.

“I think it is to do with mountains. People who climb Mount Everest do altitude training as you decrease your oxygen levels.

“It becomes easier when you run outside because you have got 20 per cent more oxygen.

“We all finished it and we’ve all come in pretty fit.”

It means Wood and Co are ready for the start of the season, with the President’s Cup against Drogheda United next week and a rematch with Derry in the league on February 14.

As defending champions, there is a target on Shels’ back.

But Wood — who arrived in mid-season having also been at the club for the second half of 2023 — thinks nothing changes.

The attacker added: “I don’t think it’s any different to last year.

“We know that the competition is going to be there and we know there is no easy game.

“We know we’re good enough to compete with anyone in this league if we bring our A-game every week, which we’ll try.

“Hopefully we get the end result. The main target is to win every competition that you’re involved in.

“We’ve got Champions League qualifiers this year too which is exciting for the club. We’re probably more motivated than last year.

“We know that we’ve got a target on our heads because we are the champions.

“Everyone is going to come to Tolka Park and want to beat us every week. We know we have to be on it 100 per cent.

“We can’t be playing at 85 per cent because people will want to come and beat us. We obviously want to retain it.

“It’s all well and good winning it once but we want to keep it.”

But the 22-year-old admitted that what he has noticed as having changed since last season is the reaction of people around him after his title-clinching goal against Derry.

Born and bred in Leeds, Wood knew very little about the League of Ireland and Shelbourne when he first joined on loan from Hull City in 2023.

But even having got to grips with the league then, and when he returned permanently last year, he was bowled over by the reaction to Shelbourne’s title win.

Wood explained: “I didn’t realise how much of an effect it would have on people around the club.

“The amount of people that have stopped me to say, ‘Oh, your goal’.

“Even neutral fans would stop me and tell me they were watching the game.

“It was an unbelievable moment, you couldn’t write it.

“I remember sitting at home the week after and watching it back with my mum and I was like I still can’t believe it actually happened.

“I think with the kit man Johnny Watson . . . he’s been there I don’t know how many years and works so hard behind the scenes.

“He is one of many who work so hard behind the scenes. I remember seeing his face when we won the league.

“He came up to me and said he’s been waiting 18 years for that moment.

“He came up to me the other week and asked for my boots. I’m still wearing the boots I scored the goal in.

“He was trying to rob my boots to put in the kit room!”

Watson will get the boots eventually.

But not yet, as Wood admits the footwear he slotted home with in Derry after Seán Boyd’s free-kick was saved will be worn until they fall apart.

He continued: “They’re my lucky boots. I think I will eventually have to replace them because they’re ripping a bit but I’m trying to keep them as long as possible.

“I scored on my debut for Grimsby in them as well. It’s a superstition but I will eventually give them to Johnny.”

But those lucky boots are needed in the meantime as Wood looks to give Watson and other Shelbourne fans more big days.

He added: “People have said to me, you change people’s lives. It’s their livelihood, they spend money to watch us.

“So the best we can do is put on a performance and try to win as many trophies as we can.”

Wood was promoting the launch of Virgin Media’s coverage of the League of Ireland as the broadcaster confirmed the opening five games to be shown.

The Reds’ opener against Derry will be shown on Valentine’s Day before the Dublin derby between Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers at the Aviva two days later.

Galway United’s clash with St Patrick’s Athletic will be aired on February 21 with Shelbourne’s meeting with Shamrock Rovers being broadcast a week later.

And the first Monday night broadcast of the season will be on March 3 when Waterford host Cork City in the Munster derby.

  Лідер Північної Кореї Кім Чен Ин назвав ситуацію з безпекою в країні “найбільш нестабільною у світі”, наголосивши на неминучості “довгострокової конфронтації з найбільш запеклими ворогуючими країнами”. Таку заяву він зробив під час відвідування фабрики та лабораторії, які займаються виробництвом ядерних матеріалів, пише Bloomberg з посиланням на Центральне корейське інформаційне агентство (KCNA). Диктатор підкреслив необхідність […]

GARY NEVILLE has predicted the exact date he thinks Tottenham will sack Ange Postecoglou.

The beleaguered Aussie boss is suffering a dismal season in the dugout, losing eight of his last 10 league matches.

Getty

Gary Neville reckons he knows when Ange Postecoglou will be sacked by Spurs[/caption]

Spurs sit 15th in the table with just seven wins and 13 defeats from 23 games.

And their latest loss was a dismal 2-1 collapse at home to lowly Leicester.

Postecoglou appears to be clinging on ahead of a tough run of fixtures.

But there are two games which are set to be crucial in deciding his future.

On February 6, Tottenham will look to defend a 1-0 lead in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool.

Just three days later they then take on Champions League hopefuls Aston Villa in a tough contest.

Postecoglou has maintained he “always wins a trophy in the second season.”

But defeat in both of those competitions would see him with just the Europa League to play for.

JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS

And Neville reckons should Tottenham lose to both Liverpool and Villa, Daniel Levy will pull the trigger on Big Ange’s time in north London.

Neville told The Overlap: “I think if he loses the second leg of the Carabao Cup to Liverpool, and he goes out the FA Cup to Villa away, I think it will become so toxic that Daniel Levy will act.

“If they’re out of the cup competitions I think he will act.

“If they’re in the cup competitions I think he might [stay].

“[Levy] can’t do it now before the cup games, the fans will kill him.”

Wayne Rooney, who was left Plymouth Argyle in December, continued: “Some managers you look at, they annoy you.

“But with Postecoglou, I love how honest he is. We had it with Louis van Gaal, sometimes you can be too honest and it comes back to kill you.

“With Ange, injuries have absolutely killed him. I don’t think it’s just about trophies [for fans], the fall-off this season is what no one has seen coming.

“If Spurs were consistently now in the top four and getting to semis and finals, I would have thought they would be quite pleased.”

SOME dog breeds whether you like it or not have better reputations than others.

And now two dog trainers have shared what they think of some of the most popular breeds in the UK.

Getty

The dog trainers said there was one dog they wouldn’t trust[/caption]

Fortunately, Iain and Jacob, two dog trainers from Yorkshire haven’t held back on what they think of the dogs.

Speaking on the Caffeine and Canine podcast, Jacob said: “Today everyone, we’re playing Doggy Bingo.”

The game sees the pair get a breed called out and they have to say what they really think of each pooch.

And one notorious dog breed that made it into the game was the Chow Chow.

The Chow Chow is a spitz-type of dog breed originally from Northern China.

Speaking of the pooch, Jacob said this breed can be ropey and he would never give it too much trust.

He added: “(They) can be ropey dogs, but people with Chow Chows on the internet really fly the flag for them.

“Like, ‘Oh mine doesn’t kill people,’ well fine, but wouldn’t trust them as far as I can throw them. Bronze tier.”

Due to the fact they were bred as guard dogs, the Chow Chow can be aggressive with other dogs or strangers.

The pair also discussed the UK’s favourite breed – the Labrador.

Getty

The Chow Chow may look cute but can be aggressive[/caption]

Jacob said it was the ‘Ford Focus’ of dogs, with Iain agreeing they were a ‘solid dog.’

Many people see the pooch as a reliable dog; they can be easy to train, great around children and other dogs, and love a snuggle.

However, Jacob admitted that while most are the gold-tier of dogs, they can go down to a bronze.

“They can be a bag of nerves too,” said Jacob.

Also on the list was the English Bull Terrier with Iain quick to note it was a ‘legendary’ dog.

Both Iain and Jacob put the dog in the gold category as Iain said they were ‘funny characters.’

Jacob added: They’re f***ing mad though aren’t they?”

“Funny story my mum used to tell me they were Pit Bulls and to never go near one, that they were banned, so I was terrified of them.

“Until I was a dog trainer and actually you guys are pretty fun.”

“Gold tier for entertainment, but would you recommend one?” he asked Iain.

“Not for a novice,” replied Iain who said they can be quite nippy and need to be trained properly.

AN EAGLE eyed soap fan has spotted that one member of the EastEnders cast has played four different characters in the soap.

Actress Ellen Thomas is best known for her most recent role as Claudette Hubbard, but that isn’t her first role in the BBC soap.

BBC

Her most well known role is as Claudette Hubbard, which she began playing in 2015[/caption]

An EastEnders fan has pointed out the star has appeared as a resident of Albert Square four times across 35 years.

The actress first appeared in the BBC soap as Pearl Chadwick from November to December 1990, meaning her EastEnders debut was 35 years ago.

Pearl the mother of Abigail Chadwick, who had been killed in a motor accident and left behind a son.

After Abigail’s death, Pearl and her husband Henry took care of the boy with plans to emigrate, until his father stepped in.

The Sierra Leonean-English actress then moved into other TV roles before she later returned to the soap twelve years later as she played Estella Hulton in June 2002.

Estella’s brief appearance came as she is Pearl’s mother, and helped her to escape Watford in a taxi.

Eight years later Ellen returned as Grace Olubunmi from June 2010 to September 2011.

Grace, the grandmother of Mercy and Faith Olubunmi, wasn’t a prominent character but one that made things difficult for Mercy’s romance with FatBoy.

The character also appeared in a spin off from EastEnders, called E20.

Finally her most recent role was as Claudette Hubbard from March 2015 to November 2016.

Claudette Hubbard is the ex wife of Henry Hubbard and the mother of Vincent Hubbard, foster mother of Donna, Glen and Linford and grandmother of Pearl and Mica.

Involved in major storylines, Claudette was involved in Henry’s murder as well as attempting to murder Gavin Sullivan by hitting him over the head with a candlestick

Outside of EastEnders, Ellen has appeared in various TV programmes including Grange Hill, The Bill, Doctors, Holby City, Casualty, Doctor Who, Outnumbered, Midsomer Murders, Death in Paradise and Silent Witness.

AN iconic 70s TV show is to be rebooted for the first time since its final ever episode aired 42 years ago.

Streaming giant Netflix will be reviving the programme, Little House on the Prairie, based on the beloved book series.

Getty

Little House on the Prairie is making a comeback[/caption]

Getty - Contributor

Netflix are reviving the 70s series[/caption]

The new reboot will also be keeping true to its roots with one of the show’s executive producers, Trip Friendly, being the son of Ed Friendly, the exec producer on the original 70s incarnation.

He will work alongside Rebecca Sonnenshine who will be the show runner as well as exec producer.

She said of the show’s reboot: “I fell deeply in love with these books when I was five years old.

“They inspired me to become a writer and a filmmaker, and I am honored and thrilled to be adapting these stories for a new global audience with Netflix.”

Revealing their decision to acquire the iconic show, Netflix’s vice president for drama, Jimmy Howe, said: “’Little House on the Prairie’ has captured the hearts and imaginations of so many fans around the world, and we’re excited to share its enduring themes of hope and optimism with a fresh take on this iconic story.

“Rebecca’s vision threads the needle with an emotional depth that will delight both new and existing fans of this beloved classic.”

A further teaser for the impending series read: “Part hopeful family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West, this fresh adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s iconic semi-autobiographical ‘Little House’ books offers a kaleidoscopic view of the struggles and triumphs of those who shaped the frontier.”

The show’s original run lasted for nine years and aired between 1974 and 1983.

It featured more than 200 episodes and was based on Laura’s books which were published in the 30s and 40s.

Over 73 million copies of the original books were sold and were based on her life growing up in the Midwest of America.

When the original series was uploaded to US streaming site Peacock last year, it was reported to be one of the most viewed programmes on the network with over 13 billion minutes streamed.

Details on casting and release date are expected to be announced in due course.

Getty - Contributor

Further details are yet to be announced[/caption]

THE Met Office has revealed where snow is set to strike in the UK as 12-hour ice warnings remain in place – after three named storms struck in six days.

Temperatures plummeted to -3C last night as a fresh cold snap takes hold with two 12-hour ice warnings in place in Scotland and Northern Ireland until 10am.

Tom Farmer

Snow in Glasgow, Scotland, earlier this week[/caption]

Northpix

Traffic drives through snow on the A9 near Inverness during Storm Eowyn[/caption]

More snow is also expected by the end of today and into tomorrow after wintry showers struck in parts of the country last night.

Parts of Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Staffordshire are among spots forecast to see snow by the early hours of Friday.

The Met Office said in a post on X today: “A cold start on Thursday, with frost and patchy fog in places, and some icy stretches in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

“A bright morning to come though, with plenty of sunshine around, and any showers remaining confined to northern coasts.”

A yellow ice warning, put in place for 12 hours from 10pm on Wednesday states: “Icy patches may lead to some travel disruption on Thursday morning.”

It adds: “Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces.”

It comes after Britain was battered by Storm Eowyn – which brought winds over 100mph and torrential downpours.

More than 130,000 people were left without power and two people died, as a result.

This was followed by Storm Herminia, arriving earlier this week from Spain before the south coast was hit by 60mph gusts from Storm Ivo, careening in from Portugal.

Met Office meteorologist Jeff Knight said: “An outlook for increased storminess carries a risk of storm clustering, meaning multiple storms could affect the UK in quick succession, like we have already seen for storms Eowyn and Herminia.

“Although the outlook can’t give any indication of the severity of specific events and therefore if any particular system will be named, the chance of impacts from wet and windy weather, particularly during February and March, are higher than to normal.”

The Environment Agency has issued 118 flood alerts and 14 warnings across England – while Natural Resources Wales has issued two further alerts.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Chris Almond said: “Most areas will be dry with sunny spells on Thursday, although there’s the risk of some freezing fog patches at first. 

“Cloud, outbreaks of rain and hill snow will spread to the northwest by the end of the day, and Friday will see a cloudy day in the south, with some sunshine further north, before the next band of cloud and rain arrives in the northwest later. 

“Overall though, rainfall amounts will be lower than of late.” 

The forecaster had said yesterday: “Showers on Wednesday night will lead to a risk of icy patches.

“Showers will be wintry over high ground across Northern Ireland, and to lower levels across northern Scotland with a slight covering of snow possible in places, mainly above 200 metres.”

Kacper Dudek, 20, and Calum Carmichael, 19, died in separate incidents after trees fell on their cars during Storm Eowyn last weekend.

Winds reached 114mph in Mace Head, County Galway, Ireland, on Friday (January 24).

  Жага змін – це стан, з яким рано чи пізно стикається кожна людина. Але відразу змінити своє життя майже неможливо. Тому багато жінок у таких випадках зупиняються на зміні іміджу. І хоча цей процес також непростий, він цілком доступний і справді допомагає внести позитивні зміни у життя. Декілька простих способів, як змінити імідж за […]

Скумбрія – риба, яка вирізняється насиченим смаком і багатим набором корисних речовин. Приготування на пару в мультиварці дозволяє зберегти максимум вітамінів і мінералів, роблячи страву дієтичною. Скумбрія на пару в мультиварці: простий рецепт Скумбрія на пару в мультиварці – це проста та корисна страва, яка обов’язково сподобається всій родині. Ніжне м’ясо риби, просочене ароматами трав […]

Фото: Eurovision Song Contest/Facebook | Фото ілюстративне   Вибір представника, представниці чи представників від України відбудеться 8 лютого. Саме «Євробачення» пройде у Швейцарії у травні. Розкрито імена трьох ведучих Нацвідбору на «Євробачення-2025», який пройде 8 лютого. Про це повідомляє Суспільне. Ними стали: телеведуча та ведуча «Євробачення-2005» в Києві Марія Єфросиніна; офіційний «голос» конкурсу в Україні […]