The Milton Keynes-born football star Leah Williamson opened a community pitch named after her in Newport Pagnell last week.
The England football captain and Arsenal defender opened the Leah Williamson Pitch in an event at Newport Pagnell Town football club last Tuesday (13/08), with the pitch built and opened following a grant from the Premier League, the FA and the UK Government’s Football Foundation.
The pitch in Newport Pagnell is one of the first to be opened under the grant, which has been named the Lionesses Futures Funds, and is intended to help to provide women and girls across the country gain access to gold standard facilities and experiences, through reserved peak-time slots and welcoming changing rooms.
Newport Pagnell’s site was one of 14 across England to receive funding directly from the Lionesses Futures Fund grant, with community pitches being opened and named after players who helped England win the 2022 Women’s Euros and reach the 2023 Women’s World Cup Final.
The grant is part of a greater approach to improve at least 30 facilities across the country to help women and girls have access to football pitches. Figures released by the FA found that 68,000 more girls are playing football compared to before England won the 2022 Euros but that badly lit pitches, unsuitable changing facilities and late-night kick-off times can put women and girls off taking to the pitch.
In a statement, Williamson said, “It is such an honour to be here to see one of the first Lionesses Futures Fund pitches come to life, something I know the squad is incredibly proud of. This pitch will provide the very best playing experience for local women and girls, ensuring they can play at decent times and on a state-of-the-art pitch.
“To meet some of the players who will get the opportunity to lace up their boots to play on this great pitch has been magic! I feel so proud to be a Lioness and proud of the whole team for inspiring women and girls to play football.”
Robert Sullivan, CEO of the Football Foundation, added, “It’s a real pleasure to be here to unveil one of the first 3G pitches that a Lionesses Futures Fund Grant has made possible. For the pitch to be named after local footballing legend Leah Williamson in recognition of the Lionesses recent successes will be incredibly inspiring for the players here at Newport Pagnell Town.
“This Fund builds on the Football Foundation’s biggest ever commitment to providing equal access to grassroots facilities for women and girls.
“Over 8,500 women’s and girls’ football teams were playing at sites that have benefitted from Football Foundation funding last season, whether that be for new goalposts, improved grass pitches or brand-new changing pavilions and 3G pitches.
“Thanks to the funding from the Premier League, The FA and Government, we’re delivering 30 pitches like this across the country to support the growing demand for football we’ve seen following the Lionesses’ inspirational success.”
The government’s Sports Minister, Stephanie Peacock, also said, “Thousands more women and girls are playing football since the Lionesses lifted the Women’s EURO 2022 trophy, so building welcoming facilities for them to get on the pitch is now more important than ever.
“As captain of the Lionesses, Leah Williamson has provided leadership both on and off the pitch and this facility in Newport Pagnell will give many more women and girls the chance to follow in her footsteps.”
Police are releasing a CCTV image of a man officers would like to speak to following an incident of fraud in Milton Keynes.
The release of the image is part of an appeal by Thames Valley Police into an incident that happened at approximately 10am on Wednesday 3 July at the Sainsbury’s supermarket on Witan Gate in Central Milton Keynes.
During the incident, a man walked into the store and used stolen bank cards.
Investigating officer, Sergeant Damien Freeman, lead the appeal by saying, “I am appealing to anyone who recognises the man in this image to please come forward as we believe he may have information about the incident.
“If you witnessed or have images or footage of any of these incidents, please call 101 or make a report on our website, quoting reference number 43240314013.
“Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via its website.”
Former MK Dons star Scott Twine has re-joined Bristol City and marked his second debut by scoring a late winner.
Twine had spent the second half of last season on loan with Bristol City and after some speculation linking him with a return to Ashton Gate, he made a full transfer last week, which the Championship side confirmed on Friday (16/08).
The 25-year-old signed a four-year contract with Bristol City upon completion of his move from Burnley, with the move being made for an undisclosed fee.
Moving to Bristol sees Twine reunited with his former MK Dons boss Liam Manning, who took over at Bristol City in November last year after the departure of Nigel Pearson and who initially brought Twine to the club on loan from Burnley in January 2024 after his initially planned season-long loan at Hull City was cut short.
Twine was named as a substitute for the Robins’ match against Millwall on Saturday, where he was brought on in the 62nd minute. He would duly score an 88th minute winner, handing the Robins their first win of the new season with the final goal of the game in an eventful 4-3 victory.
Head Coach Liam Manning told the club’s official website when the deal was confirmed that they had been working for a long time to bring him back and were delighted to make the deal happen.
He said, “It has been no secret the desire to bring Scott back to the club, and it has been a long time coming but we are delighted to get the deal over the line.
“We know the strengths he brings, and feel he has some unfinished business here at Ashton Gate.
“He loved his time here last season, and we are excited to have him back.”
Twine added, “It was a no brainer for me to come back and I am delighted it has finally been sorted.”
Twine, who plays as an attacking option, spent one season with MK Dons, playing for the club from Stadium MK in the 2021/22 season after joining from Swindon Town.
In his season with the Dons, Twine would score 20 goals in 50 appearances in all competitions for an MK Dons side that finished third in League One, narrowly missing out on automatic promotion to the Championship.
In his time at the Dons, Twine won the League One Player of the Season award from the EFL Awards while he was also named as MK Dons’ Player of the Year and Player’s Player of the Year.
The attacker would join Burnley for an undisclosed fee in 2022, but he made just 18 appearances for the Clarets, although his 3 goals would help Burnley win the Championship title in the 2022/23 season.
Twine spent the first half of last season on loan at Hull, scoring 4 times in 26 appearances before an initially planned season-long loan was cut short and he was sent instead to Bristol. He struck twice in ten appearances for the Robins in a loan stint that was hindered by injury.
Milton Keynes City Council have invited local people and businesses to share their thoughts on proposals to renovate the town centres in Bletchley and Fenny Stratford.
Following previous engagement with the community, Milton Keynes City Council are proposing upgrades as part of their Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Deal to deliver more accessible pedestrian crossing, new street furniture, planting and public spaces designed to attract more people to the town centres.
The plans MK City Council are pushing include improvements on Queensway and Aylesbury Street as well as works taking place on Saxon Street to create an accessible gateway into the town centre.
The consultation is now open until 22 September and people interested in taking part are encouraged to attend a consultation event or view the proposals on the Commonplace platform and share their feedback.
Four events are planned for the area in September 2024. They are:
- Duncombe Street Community House, 2 September, 6pm to 8pm
- Brunel Centre, 11 September, 12pm to 3pm
- West Bletchley Council Offices (Whaddon Way), 15 September, 1pm to 4pm
- South Central Institute of Technology, 18 September, 10am to 2pm
Further events will be announced on the Commonplace platform.
After the conclusion of their consultation, MK City Council will produce a document detailing the feedback received and how it will be incorporated before construction starts next year.
In 2020, Milton Keynes City Council successfully secured £22.7m through the Town Deal Fund for the regeneration of Bletchley and Fenny Stratford. Since then, the city council and the Town Deal Board have announced plans to redevelop underused sites and built a new redway to better connect the area.
Leader of Milton Keynes City Council, Cllr Pete Marland, said, “We’re making good progress to deliver a better future for Bletchley and Fenny Stratford. It’s absolutely vital that local people continue to be involved in helping shape these proposals. I encourage everyone with a connection to the area to have their say, so we can continue working together to bring real change that reflects the community’s ambitions.”
Northampton Town picked up their first win of the season as they came from behind to beat Exeter City 2-1.
Tristan Crama’s header had put Exeter in front inside the opening ten minutes, but two goals in 12 minutes from Callum Morton and Cameron McGeehan turned the game in Northampton’s favour.
Victory was Northampton’s first in any competition for the new season, having lost their season opener and lost in the Carabao Cup.
A lively early phase saw both sides miss early chances, with Reece Cole firing wide when well placed before Sam Hoskins was kept out by Joe Whitworth after his shot took a deflection.
But with 8 minutes on the clock, Exeter scored first. Cole’s corner found defender Crama, who headed home for his first goal since joining the Devonians on loan from Brentford.
Another Exeter corner nearly yielded a second goal for the visitors, with Lee Burge having to deny Jack McMillan.
Northampton offered more as the first half went on, with Whitworth denying a Mitch Pinnock free-kick that some Cobblers fans felt should’ve been given inside the box, before Morton saw an effort just prodded wide.
Although an equaliser wouldn’t come in the first half for the home side, one did 20 minutes into the second as Hoskins found Morton, who was able to thread a shot through Whitworth’s legs and into the back of the Exeter net.
Both sides would exchange opportunities in the aftermath, with Luke Mbete blocking a shot by Exeter substitute Kamari Doyle before Whitworth made a flying stop to keep out Hoskins.
But the game’s third goal would fall Northampton’s way, as McGeehan scored his first goal for the club. The Northern Irish international was in place to meet Jon Guthrie’s cross unmarked at the back post, and duly glance in the shot.
No more chances of note emerged after that as Northampton kept Exeter at bay to record the three points.
The Cobblers will seek to pick up back-to-back victories next time, when they travel to play Barnsley at Oakwell on Saturday (24/08).
