Mark Robins made a Premier League vow just hours after guiding Coventry out of League Two, former captain Michael Doyle has revealed.
The ex-Sky Blues midfielder skippered the club to their first promotion in 51 years in 2018 to kick-start their journey to the brink of a top-flight return.
Coventry beat Exeter 3-1 in the play-off final with Doyle lifting the trophy at Wembley and the Sky Blues are now dreaming of a repeat in Saturday’s Championship play-off final against Luton.
Robins, who signed a new four-year deal this month, took them out of the fourth tier at the first attempt after returning 14 months earlier for a second spell and, even then, outlined his vision to Doyle.
He told the PA news agency: “The night we got promoted from League Two we were chatting away at the bar, something came up and he said: ‘we’re going to take this club back to the Premier League where it belongs’.
“You don’t say things like that lightly and it’s not arrogance because he’s not an arrogant man. He wouldn’t say that openly to a lot of people.
“I’ve reminded him of that this week because we were a million miles away from it that night and now we’re on the verge of it. I hope he can do it.
“I do think eventually the club will get there, even if it’s not Saturday. The club is in good hands with four more years of him there. He is a god to the people of Coventry.
“Like any manager, pressure does come with the job and when he’s p****d off at you, you’re going to know about it. He’s not rolling into the training ground jovial.
“But at the same time, when you win a game, he’s not jumping to the ceiling like Larry the Lunatic.
“He’s always had a great calmness and it shows in his teams, the way they play. Look at that performance at Middlesbrough (the 1-0 play-off semi-final second-leg win) when no-one gave them a chance. That was a reflection of the coaching staff, Adi (Viveash, assistant) as well.”
Doyle made 373 appearances, scoring 26 times, for the Sky Blues and featured in a 2-2 draw against Luton in March 2018 when the teams were in League Two.
The 41-year-old first joined the club in 2003 from Celtic, just two years after their relegation from the Premier League, and saw the transition from Highfield Road to what was the Ricoh Arena in 2006.
Since then, the club have tumbled from the Championship and back again despite playing at Northampton in 2013-14 after a rent dispute and spending two seasons in Birmingham following a failure to agree a deal with then-stadium owners Wasps.
“Coventry were one of the longest-serving clubs in the top division and when they lost that status a lot of people around the city were devastated,” said former Republic of Ireland international Doyle. “There was a lot of negativity around the football club for long periods.
“In my first spell, we were always just a middle-of-the-table Championship club.
“The tough times of getting relegated has brought some success and some great days to the club. It’s just great to see the club now in the biggest game in football.
“I remember playing Forest Green at home and getting beaten and having to drag a fan off the pitch. We were losing 1-0 and he ran on with five minutes to go.
“The fans weren’t happy Coventry were playing Forest Green in League Two at home on a Tuesday night and losing 1-0.
“We had a lot of young players who were in shock and I ran over because he had the ball. I grabbed him and said: ‘what are you doing? Get off’. It was instinct, I ran over and confronted him.
“He was saying it was embarrassing and I said ‘listen, you’re not going to be here at the end of the season when we get promoted. Just get yourself in the stand’.
“Forest Green did the double on us, no disrespect to them, and it showed what hard times the club had fallen on. It was hard for the fanbase to fathom.
“These moments live with you a little because you end up getting success.”
Roberto De Zerbi is braced for a summer of hard work as Europa League-bound Brighton set about building a squad capable of competing on four fronts.
The Seagulls will play continental football for the first time in their 122-year history next term, in addition to their Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup commitments.
Albion wrapped up a record-breaking sixth-placed finish ahead of Sunday’s climax at Aston Villa, despite operating with a relatively small player pool, particularly during a congested run-in.
Head coach De Zerbi does not believe the club require a raft of new arrivals to be ready for the forthcoming European tour.
Yet the former Shakhtar Donetsk boss is determined to add depth and quality to his squad, especially if in-demand pair Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister are sold.
“Monday starts the toughest period in my season because without football it is difficult,” he said.
“I am looking forward to starting the next pre-season. I think we have to work in this holiday because we have to build a new squad to prepare for the new season.
“I think we don’t need so many players.
“We have to understand if Caicedo, Mac Allister (are sold) – I don’t know which players can leave – then we have to bring very good players because next season will be tougher than this one.”
Brighton defied all expectations during a remarkable campaign by breaking into the top six and reaching the FA Cup semi-finals.
Graham Potter oversaw the Seagulls’ strong start before De Zerbi scaled new heights following his predecessor’s departure to Chelsea in September.
The Italian is unsure how much financial backing he will receive in the coming months and insists the scale of the summer overhaul will depend on the number of outgoings.
“I can speak only about the characteristics, the quality of players,” he said. “Money is not my job.
“For sure I can tell you we have to have a stronger squad, a bigger squad because we will play in four competitions.
“And we have to be ready to compete in our way in these four competitions because we arrived with 14, 15 players in the crucial part of the season.
“The next year will be tougher because in the history of the Premier League it can happen that clubs achieve Europa League and the next year you have to fight to avoid relegation.”
Tottenham forward Harry Kane will celebrate a milestone birthday this summer but has talked up the possibility of playing until he is 40 after receiving his latest accolade on Thursday.
Kane was officially awarded the Freedom of the City of London during a ceremony at Guildhall alongside wife Kate, his three children and various members of his family.
Kane was nominated for one of the city’s most ancient traditions due to his outstanding sporting achievements, with the England captain only 50 goals away from becoming the Premier League’s record goalscorer.
While it has been a difficult season for club Tottenham, Kane has netted 28 times in the Premier League ahead of his 30th birthday in July.
When reflecting on his own potential longevity, the Spurs academy graduate referenced the ages of Karim Benzema, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who were all in their mid-thirties when celebrating recent Ballon d’Or wins.
“I am someone who always wants to push, always wants to get better, so if I am scoring goals at 39, then for sure I probably will play until I’m 40,” Kane told the PA news agency.
“I always said I think it depends how your career has gone and what you’ve achieved, what kind of mindset you are in at that stage.
“Sometimes there is a perception when you reach 30 that you’re coming to the end but in recent history some of the players who have been Ballon d’Or winners or Champions League winners have been 35, 36, 37.
“I think as long as you stay mentally hungry and physically in a good place, which I am, then I feel like you can play as long as possible.
“For sure I want to be playing another seven or eight years at the highest level and hopefully I can do that.”
There remains uncertainty over Kane’s future with only one year left on his deal at Tottenham, although the club have no intention of selling their star forward this summer.
Kane has repeatedly insisted his focus is on finishing another prolific season strongly as Spurs prepare to visit Leeds on Sunday with Europa Conference League qualification up for grabs.
Despite Tottenham’s poor campaign, Kane has closed in on Alan Shearer’s record haul of 260 Premier League goals.
He added: “This season has been difficult on a whole as a team. It has had its challenges but I always set myself little targets throughout the season, month by month.
“To score 28 goals is something I am proud of with one game to go and hopefully I can score a couple more on Sunday and finish strong.
“I just have to keep improving and every year I try to do that, finding different ways to score and that is something I will continue to do for the rest of my career.
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“As I have said before, with any record you are not focused on the record, you are focused on helping the team and scoring goals to do that, so then when the records come, you take them and you’re extremely proud of them.
“Yeah, that could be another couple of years away yet but I am feeling in a good place and hopefully I am playing for many more years so it is definitely a target that can be reached.”
After Kane added the Freedom of the City of London to the MBE he received in 2019, he joked it would take a major tournament win with England to earn a knighthood.
Whatever the future holds, he is determined to help the next generation through The Harry Kane Foundation, which was launched in October with the aim of changing perception about mental health.
“I reckon we’d have to win the Euros or World Cup and then it (knighthood) might be in the conversation but these things are incredible,” Kane said after he received the Freedom of the City of London.
On his Foundation, Kane explained: “We have had amazing feedback, (taken) amazing steps so far.
“I wanted to start the journey to learn more about mental health and especially with younger boys and younger girls, to see what they are going through and to use some of my experiences to help them.
“It has been a great journey and is something I want to build year on year. It is something I want to continue after I am finished, (in) 10 years or so.
“We’re on a good journey so far and it is not just London, it is for the whole country and the whole world to try to help as many people as possible.”
Jose Mourinho has claimed Tottenham are the only one of his former clubs to which he does not feel any connection.
The Portuguese, 60, spent 17 months at Spurs but was sacked by chairman Daniel Levy in April 2021 just a week before they were to play Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.
Mourinho had previously managed Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester United, and has subsequently taken charge at Roma, winning the Europa Conference League and leading them to the final of this season’s Europa League, where they play Sevilla next Wednesday.
Speaking ahead of that fixture, Mourinho told a press conference: “I hope the Tottenham fans don’t get me wrong but the only club in my career where I don’t have still a deep feeling for is Tottenham.
“Probably because the stadium was empty, Covid time. Probably because Mr Levy didn’t let me win a final and win a trophy.”
Mourinho, who has been linked with a move to Paris St Germain this summer, was responding to a question about his future with Roma.
“We will be connected forever, like I am with all my previous clubs, apart from Mr Levy’s club,” he said.
“It’s the only one, so after that – Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid, Manchester United – all the clubs I feel a connection. Maybe people (will say) you cannot love every club – yes, I love every club.”
A career-best round of 62 propelled England’s Harry Hall to the top of the leaderboard after the opening day of the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club.
Hall took only 22 putts to card a score of eight under and a decisive three-shot lead in Fort Worth, Texas.
He picked up eight birdies without dropping a shot and managed to save par from 15 and 30 feet.
Harris English is Hall’s closest competitor on five under, after the American split a bogey with six birdies, including two on his final two holes.
Tom Hoge, Adam Schenk, Robby Shelton and Andrew Putnam are all tied for third on four under par.
Elsewhere, it was a mixed day for Scotland’s Russel Knox and English duo Callum Tarren and Justin Rose, who all head into Friday’s second round on one under.
Club professional Michael Block, who dazzled the golfing world with his heroics at the US PGA Championship heroics, had a rough outing as he finished his opening round 11 over par.
Internationally acclaimed Brazilian pop superstar, Anitta, will co-headline the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi on June 10. Joining GRAMMY-award winner Burna Boy, Anitta is expected to captivate audiences with a mesmerizing performance at the world's biggest annual sporting event.
Coming off a remarkable year marked by the release of her fifth studio album, 'Versions Of Me,' and a GRAMMY nomination for "Best New Artist," the sensational artist behind hits like 'Envolver' will infuse Istanbul's Atatürk Olympic Stadium with her renowned high-energy pop production. Her performance will enthrall millions of fans around the globe, moments before the commencement of the most significant fixture in club football.
To heighten anticipation for this highly anticipated performance, Pepsi has released an exhilarating short film titled 'The Prep' (LINK), featuring Anitta and Burna Boy in their element. In the film, accompanied by Burna Boy's "It's Plenty" and Anitta's "Envolver," the artists prepare for their epic Kick Off Show performance in their football-style dressing rooms. They then emerge into the iconic UEFA Champions League tunnel, walking side by side, before entering a sold-out stadium, sending shivers down the spectators' spines.
Anitta expressed her excitement, stating, "I'm thrilled that the news is finally out! I'm delighted to perform at the UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi, co-headlining alongside Burna Boy. We'll deliver an unforgettable show to fans in the stadium and worldwide, so make sure to tune in on June 10th - you won't want to miss this!"
For the first time ever, Pepsi is giving fans the opportunity of a lifetime to be a part of this show-stopping performance through the #PepsiKickOffShow challenge. Launched in March, the challenge invites fans to showcase their best ball skills and dance moves. Watch the video here.
Gustavo Reyna, Pepsi's Senior Director of Global Marketing, added, "Every year, we take pride in collaborating with the most prominent and thrilling music artists to provide fans worldwide with unparalleled entertainment. In this year's 2023 UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi, global superstars Anitta and Burna Boy, who embody our 'Thirsty For More' philosophy celebrating people's thirst for life, will co-headline. We're excited to witness fans actively participate in this unmissable show through the #PepsiKickOffShow challenge. It promises to be an extraordinary spectacle!"
UEFA Marketing Director, Guy-Laurent Epstein, commented, "This season's spectacle promises to be unforgettable, with an exciting lineup of artists set to grace the stage ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final in Istanbul. We're proud of our longstanding partnership with Pepsi, which allows us to bring even more excitement to fans. We eagerly await sharing this season's UEFA Champions League Kick Off Show by Pepsi with everyone."
This marks the seventh year that Pepsi and UEFA have celebrated the Champions League Final with a sensational music performance, showcasing the most thrilling artists from around the world. This exceptional entertainment spectacle unites football and music fans worldwide. The Kick Off Show by Pepsi will be broadcasted in over 200 countries worldwide.
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah insists there can be no excuse for missing out on Champions League football.
The 30-year-old admits the team has failed and let fans down this season with a fifth-placed finish.
Manchester United’s 4-1 win over Chelsea means fourth place is now out of reach for last season’s beaten finalists.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have underperformed all season and it was only their current 10-match unbeaten run – which included a sequence of seven victories – which gave them a remote chance of qualifying for Europe’s elite club competition.
But their participation in the Europa League, the first time Klopp has not made the top four in a full season at the club, has left Salah frustrated.
“I’m totally devastated. There’s absolutely no excuse for this,” the Egypt international, who rarely makes public statements, wrote in a strongly-worded post on Twitter.
“We had everything we needed to make it to next year’s Champions League and we failed.
“We are Liverpool and qualifying to the competition is the bare minimum.
“I am sorry but it’s too soon for an uplifting or optimistic post.
“We let you and ourselves down.”
In a disappointing season Salah has still scored 30 goals and is only one away from becoming the first player in Premier League history to provide 20 goals and 10 assists in three seasons, which would surpass the record he shares with Thierry Henry.
He is one short of reaching 20 league goals in a season for the fifth time in six years at Liverpool (he scored 19 in the other) and if he manages to score at Southampton on Sunday he will become the first Liverpool player since Roger Hunt in 1965-66 to score 20 league goals for a third successive season.
Manchester United secured qualification for next season’s Champions League as Erik ten Hag’s men roared to a comprehensive 4-1 victory against wasteful Chelsea.
The Dutchman has led the Red Devils to Carabao Cup glory and next month’s FA Cup final during a promising first season that looked certain to end in a top-four finish until a recent wobble.
But Ten Hag has righted the ship and United secured a return to European football’s top table with a game to spare as Casemiro, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford scored against toothless Chelsea.
This was a club record 16th defeat in a 38-match Premier League season for Frank Lampard’s Blues, who saw a bad early Mykhailo Mudryk miss punished by a sixth minute Casemiro header.
Further Chelsea chances went begging across the evening, including the miss by Conor Gallagher in first half stoppage time that was followed by Martial scoring.
Bruno Fernandes’ penalty and substitute Marcus Rashford’s goal – his 30th of the season in all competitions – wrapped up a victory that was only dampened by Antony’s exit on a stretcher and a late Joao Felix consolation.
Michael van Gerwen created Premier League history by winning his seventh title to move clear of the great Phil Taylor.
The Dutchman, who joined Taylor on six wins 12 months ago, overtook him after a masterful performance to beat Gerwyn Price 11-5 in the final at the O2 Arena.
Van Gerwen, whose participation was in doubt after withdrawing from last week’s final weekly round in Aberdeen with a shoulder injury, has dominated this competition since winning his first title 10 years ago.
No one loves the 02 stage quite like him and after edging a thrilling semi-final against rival Michael Smith, where he won 10-8, he got the better of Price in the final.
He threw three 100-plus checkouts – a 170, 150 and 128 – and averaged 105.43 as he dominated his opponent.
He was averaging over 110 by the time he took out the big fish to break Price’s throw in the sixth leg and then claimed a second break with a 128 checkout to make it four legs in a row.
Price stopped the rot with a 161 checkout of his own and the Welshman then broke Van Gerwen’s throw in a scrappy leg that saw him reduce the deficit to 7-4.
But Van Gerwen put his foot on the pedal again and a 150 checkout put him one leg away, which he had no problems in taking out to lift the trophy for the seventh time.
He said during his on-stage interview: “I have worked really hard lately. Everyone knows I had problems last week.
“I put pressure on myself and I keep doing that and today it motivated me. I played some fantastic darts, what more can you wish for than to win this trophy?
“You always have to pick the right moment, to come back here in the O2 and play the likes of Michael Smith and Gerwyn Price, you have to perform your A-game, I knew I had to do something special today and I am glad I was able to.
“It feels amazing, to beat Gerwyn Price and Michael Smith feels good and to win for a seventh time is a nice little extra thing.”
Price is still searching for his first title and a brilliant campaign, where he won four of the weekly rounds, ends in ultimate disappointment.
‘The Iceman’ had earlier destroyed his compatriot Jonny Clayton in the semi-final, winning 10-2 in double-quick time, but he fell short in the big one against Van Gerwen.
But his performances going around the country will go some way to repairing his fractured relationship with the crowd, which saw him exit the World Championship at Christmas in dismay having being forced to wear ear defenders such was the negative reaction towards him inside the Alexandra Palace.
He was crestfallen after the loss, saying: “I just couldn’t find the trebles, the doubles, I couldn’t find anything, that’s how it goes sometimes.
“I’m gutted. I just felt this one is the one that got away, I was missing by so far, I wasn’t even close, I don’t know what happened.”
International Tennis Federation (ITF) president David Haggerty is disappointed that Rafael Nadal will not be able to feature at Roland Garros, which he called "Rafa's house".
Nadal has not played since suffering a second-round exit at the Australian Open in January, having struggled with a hip injury during his straight-sets defeat to Mackenzie McDonald, and will not play at the French Open.
The Spaniard last week confirmed he will be unable to compete at Roland Garros, where he is a record 14-time champion.
When announcing his withdrawal, Nadal said 2024 would "probably" be his final year on the ATP Tour and outlined his intention of making farewell appearances at "important tournaments".
Haggerty said: "I think it's disappointing for Rafa not to be there because we know Roland Garros as Rafa's house so to speak.
"He's won it so many times and people love to watch him play. [It is] disappointing.
"I was happy to hear that he is talking about the possibility of his return to the Davis Cup finals, which would be fantastic. I wish him a successful recovery and hope to see him on the court again."
While Nadal will not be present in Paris, WTA world number one Iga Swiatek is set to be in action.
Swiatek is the defending champion, and Haggerty says the Pole will be well aware her rivals are gunning for her title.
"She's the number one player in the world and I think that she has been ranked number one for more than a year consecutively," he said.
"So [she is] a very, very good player. She won Roland Garros last year, so I expect to see her performances continued to be good knowing that everybody's after her to try to beat number one."
At 21, Swiatek already has three grand slam titles under her belt. And with 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz conquering all on the ATP Tour, Haggerty thinks tennis' future is in safe hands, even as Nadal and Novak Djokovic reach the twilight of their careers.
"I think we have many good young men and young women that are showing how great tennis is and and putting on good rivalries already," he said.
"So I think the future is bright."
Hukum overcame his own lengthy absence to deny last year’s Derby winner Desert Crown in the Racehorse Lotto Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown.
Trained by Owen Burrows, Hukum is now six and his career looked over after he picked up what looked a career-ending injury in winning the Coronation Cup 12 months ago.
The decision was taken to keep him in training and that now looks inspired, as Jim Crowley – who briefly looked boxed in – got Hukum flying late on to win by half a length in an enthralling battle up the Sandown hill.
Desert Crown had been kept off the track by his own injury – for 355 days to Hukum’s 356 – after his famous Epsom success on what was just his third ever outing.
Following his tried and tested route with his top-class older horses, Sir Michael Stoute was looking for a 12th win in the race and connections were happy going into the Group Three feature.
Settled in fifth by Richard Kingscote as stablemate and pacemaker Solid Stone led at a steady gallop, he was set something of a test but breezed into the lead a furlong out only to be reeled in late on by the 5-1 winner.
While Stoute will no doubt be left scratching his head his former assistant Burrows will be dreaming of a big summer.
Betfair cut Hukum to 14-1 from 25s for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with Desert Crown now the same price from 8s.
Chiedozie Ogbene and Alan Browne are facing a race against time to be fit for the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Greece and Gibraltar next month.
Frontman Ogbene is working his way back from a hamstring injury suffered during Rotherham’s 1-0 Sky Bet Championship win over Middlesbrough on May 1, while Preston midfielder Browne is continuing his rehabilitation from medial ligament damage sustained at QPR on April 7.
Speaking after a four-day training camp with his EFL and League of Ireland-based players in Bristol, manager Stephen Kenny said: “Chiedozie Ogbene had a hamstring tear with Rotherham and hasn’t been able to participate this week, so we’ll have to see how that is. Alan Browne as well, [is] coming back from a medial injury, so these are dilemmas for us.”
Ogbene in particular has become a key member of Kenny’s team – he started the 1-0 defeat by World Cup finalists France at the Aviva Stadium in March as Ireland opened their Group B campaign – while Browne has scored against Belgium, Scotland and Norway in the last year or so.
The squad is due to be finalised next week – Atletico Madrid defender Matt Doherty will join up after his club’s final LaLiga fixture at Villarreal on June 4 – before preparations begin in earnest.
Despite a resilient display against Didier Deschamps’ men, the Republic know they may need to take maximum points from June’s double-header – they face Greece in Athens on Friday, June 16 and Gibraltar in Dublin three days later – if they are to force their way out of a difficult group which also includes the Netherlands.
That, however, may prove easier said than done in the heat of the Greek capital – Ireland will spend nine days training in the Turkish resort of Antalya in a bid to acclimatise – and with the hosts having topped their group in Nations League C.
Kenny said: “Greece are a good team, they won their Nations League group so we’re going to have to really perform to a high level. We need to make sure we are absolutely 100 per cent, and going to Turkey will help us, training in similar conditions, get ourselves ready.
“We go to Athens on the Wednesday and play on the Friday against Greece before we come back and play, and I heard that 42,00 have already been sold for Gibraltar, which is fantastic. It would be great to have a full house there if we could on the Monday night.
“But at the moment, we’re firmly focused on our preparations for that, and I think that will give us a chance, our preparations here, coming to Bristol, going to Turkey.
“Hopefully some of the players can come through some of their injury difficulties and if so, we want to make sure we’re ready.”
Erling Haaland has set his sights on history as Manchester City chase the treble.
The striker remained focused on City’s finals as he collected the Football Writers’ Association’s Footballer of the Year award in London on Thursday.
Haaland has scored 52 goals in 51 games for City – ahead of Sunday’s Premier League finale at Brentford – following his £51million move from Borussia Dortmund last summer.
City face Inter Milan in Istanbul in the Champions League final on June 10, a week after they play Manchester United in the FA Cup final, having already won the Premier League.
They are aiming to emulate their city rivals’ achievement of 1999.
Haaland said: “There are two finals left, we have to stay focused even though we won the Premier League.
“We have to stay focused to achieve what we can achieve in the next two finals. I will do everything I can to achieve good things in the finals and hopefully win both.
“It’s a good thing being favourites (against Inter Milan) because it means we have qualities, we have to attack the game in our way, play our football and in the end we’ll see who wins it.”
Haaland earned 82 per cent of the votes to win the FWA award, 75 years after Sir Stanley Matthews won the first trophy, ahead of Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard.
“I feel good, it’s a special moment,” he added, speaking to the FWA. “I expected to do good things but, to do this, I didn’t expect.”
He has broken the record for the most Premier League goals in a season with 36 as Manchester City wrapped up a third straight title with three games to spare, having trailed Arsenal by eight points at one stage.
“It’s really just about taking it game-by-game, to be honest, and to focus on what we can focus about,” said the 22-year-old.
“I don’t like to focus on the future or the past. I like to live in moment and I like to take it game-by-game – exactly what he (Pep Guardiola) said we were going to do and that’s what we did.
“We focused and we achieved exactly what we wanted to achieve. In then end it’s unreal what we did, being behind all season and we came like a unit together. It was amazing and an amazing feeling.”
Chelsea’s Sam Kerr took the women’s award, making the Australian the first player to win the trophy in consecutive seasons.
The striker scored the winner in Chelsea’s 1-0 FA Cup final triumph over Manchester United earlier this month.
Chelsea, who have a two-point lead over Manchester United, know victory at Reading on Saturday will seal the WSL title on the final day of the season.
Kerr said: “It’s amazing. It’s something that I’m very proud of. Off the back of the Euros women’s football has grown a lot. Walking down the street, the crowds are bigger. Everything’s just increased over the last year.
“I think to some people it might look easy but every year it gets harder and harder (to win the league). Anyone that’s involved in football knows how hard it is to come back year after year and to stay at the top. So we’re doing everything to win on Saturday.”
Roberto Escobarr gained his first success since June 2021 when making all the running to win the Racehorse Lotto Henry II Stakes at Sandown.
Trained by William Haggas, the son of Galileo is now six but in his younger days looked destined to be winning races like this Group Two event when taking a Listed contest at York on just his fifth ever outing.
He only made it to the track once in 2022 and was returning from 399 days off when third at Wolverhampton in March.
Fitter for that, he was sent off the 7-5 favourite and Richard Kingscote sent him into an early lead and was never headed.
Nate The Great pestered him all the way to the line, but the winner was always holding him and prevailed by a neck.
Haggas’ charge was cut to 10-1 from 14s for the Northumberland Plate by Betfair.
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