Ex-Arsenal and England players Ian Wright and Kelly Smith recently helped do up a set of girls’ changing facilities in Greater Manchester as part of a national community football initiative.
The former forwards and club legends teamed up with the Barclays to restore some female football facilities in Cheetham Hill on Tuesday, 7 February, chipping in with everything from plastering and painting to helping a group of young girls with some training.
The BCFF is committed to helping reduce inequalities across UK football, with grants made available annually to various groups that wish to start offering football programmes or expand their existing ones to new, under-represented audiences.
ADVERTISEMENT
Primarily focusing on women’s sport and young people from lower socio-economic and under-represented groups, as well as racially diverse communities, people with disabilities, and people from the LGBTQ+ community, the fund is set to support thousand across the UK.
It is thought around 5,500 different community groups will receive a total investment of £1 million a year, engaging more than 300,000 young people in inclusive football activities.
ADVERTISEMENT
As for VIY, members are being actively trained in skills such as painting, plastering and carpentry whilst working on this first section in a longer three-month improvement project at Cheetham Hill Sports Club.
Wright, 59, said: “I just want every girl to be able to play football if they want to. There are so many things that women’s and girls’ football needs. First, they need the pitch and the coaches. They also need facilities where they can feel safe, secure and valued, just like the boys do.
“That’s why the BCFF is important; it’s giving money to local projects in communities around the UK. There’s no point just focusing on the elite game; this is where the love and dreams start. This kind of investment into grassroots is where it’s going to make a real difference.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Following the success of the Lionesses and their historic Euro 2022 win, Wright was one of the first express the importance of capitalising on the momentum building in female sport.
Delivering a powerful speech last summer, he said: “If there’s no legacy after this, then what are we doing? Girls should be able to play”.
"If there is no legacy after this, then what are we doing? Because girls should be able to play." 🗣
As for Smith, who knows all too well the obstacles women and young girls, especially, can face when it comes to getting into the world of sport, she clearly recognised the importance of the fund’s work.
“All I’ve ever wanted to do was play football. Growing up, I was kicked off my local team because I was a girl and there was no girls’ team to join. It was soul-destroying.
“Giving girls a space they belong in football will make a difference. That’s why this build at Cheetham Hill is important. It’s exactly what I wanted and needed as a kid.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Thankfully, with the help of similar schemes like the sustainable community pitch unveiled by Phil Foden and Ella Toone, not to mention Andy Burnham’s push to back more girls to get into football, plenty of young girls will have the tools and safe place to get playing in Manchester.
Founded in Los Angeles back in 2007, and making a splash on social media and growing in popularity ever since, Alo is a favourite among wellness enthusiasts and celebrities alike thanks to offering a curated collection of elevated performance and lifestyle apparel for all genders, aiming to blend the best of technical excellence with contemporary fashion.
Designed to inspire ‘mindful movement’ and ‘modern living’, the brand has a strong commitment to mind-body wellness, and even likes to call its stores sanctuaries.
Alo already has a selection of stores in London, but its move to Manchester marks the first time the brand has ventured outside of the capital to elsewhere in the UK, and has chosen to open doors at the Manchester Arndale complex, on the ever-popular New Cathedral Street.
Alo Yoga is opening its first UK store outside of London here in Manchester / Credit: Alo Yoga (Publicity Picture)
Recognised as the home of luxury brands in Manchester – with retailers such as Harvey Nichols, Hugo Boss, and Ralph Lauren already stationed there – Alo is the latest retailer to select New Cathedral Street for its first location in the city.
Alo joins the recently-announced arrivals of Arc’teryx and Represent – the latter of which opened to huge success last October – after signing a 10-year lease.
Asset managers also say Alo’s arrival showcases just how much Manchester has become a ‘magnet’ for fast-growing brands that are keen to access a premium shopper audience.
The luxury activewear and lifestyle brand is moving into New Cathedral Street / Credit: Alo Yoga (Publicity Picture)
“Alo Yoga is a fantastic addition to our retail mix,” commented Scott Linard, who is the Portfolio Director for joint asset managers M&G Real Estate.
“We’re proud to support the growth of innovative brands like Alo Yoga who are seeking high-quality, well-located space to connect with new audiences, and their arrival highlights the strength and diversity of Manchester’s retail offer.”
Steve Gray, who is the Head of European Retail Asset Management at Global Mutual, added: “Welcoming Alo Yoga to New Cathedral Street underlines its reputation as one of the UK’s premium retail destinations.”
Ex-Manchester United player Brandon Williams issues public statement following sentencing
Danny Jones
Former Manchester United youngster Brandon Williams and his legal team have issued a statement following his recent sentencing over dangerous driving charges.
The Crumpsall-born defender left the club last year after being released following a 14-year stint in Red, graduating from Man United’s academy and making a number of first-team appearances before being sent out on a pair of loan spells.
After representing Norwich City 26 times and then making just 15 appearances for former youth coach Kieran McKenna‘s Ipswich Town, he hasn’t played professional football for more than 17 months.
Williams was officially given a 14-month prison sentence this past Friday, 23 May, but the term has been suspended for two years, and now Brandon himself has responded following the decision.
Once tipped to succeed Luke Shaw, Brandon Williams has not played a game for almost 18 months.
The free agent pleaded guilty to driving dangerously earlier this month after it was found had been driving at speeds of up to 99mph in a 70 zone prior to crashing his Audi A3.
Issuing a statement to The Manc via his lawyers at Blackfords LLP, he said: “I would like to thank my legal team headed by Richard Littler KC and Philip Williams of Blackfords LLP for establishing that I was not under the influence of any substance at the time of the accident.
“I have always accepted that my driving that day fell below the standard that is expected of me. It was never my intention to cause injury to anyone, but I am responsible for the standard of my driving. I make no excuses. I have learnt from this experience and will ensure there is no repetition.
“I wish to apologise again to those who were involved in the accident. Now that the case has concluded, I look forward to resuming my career with a new team later this year.”
Despite Chester Crown Court hearing that he and his female passenger at the time “appeared to have yellow balloons in their mouth” – typically associated with imbibing nitrous oxide a.k.a. ‘laughing gas’ – Williams has maintained that he was sober during the incident throughout the investigation.
On Friday, the former Manchester United defender Brandon Williams was given a 14-month sentence, suspended for two years, along with a three-year driving ban and 180 hours of community service after crashing his car while speeding at 99mph with a nitrous oxide balloon in his… pic.twitter.com/eeIKM6Z96n
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) May 24, 2025
The crash, which occurred on the A34 near Handforth in Cheshire back in August 2023, saw the left-back collide with a Ford Fiesta after a female motorist travelling behind him on the dual carriageway around 6pm claimed he seemed out of control of the vehicle. Both cars were heavily damaged.
While Williams will be avoiding jail time, his suspended prison sentence has not only seen him banned from driving for three years but will also see him have to complete 180 hours of community service.
In addition to the collision itself, Williams racked up a total of 30 points on his license for multiple offences, including twice failing to declare who was driving, operating a vehicle without third-party insurance, and now this latest development, having already paid a £1,000 fine in May 2024.
The 24-year-old has since spoken out about the incident in brief detail with Ben Foster (a fellow former United player) on his podcast.
Brandon Williams’ most recent statement isn’t the first time he’s touched upon the incident.
Danny Jones -
8th February 2023 
