Partick Thistle have announced the death of manager Kris Doolan’s father.

The Maryhill club confirmed that Lawrence Doolan died on Thursday morning.

The news comes the day before the Jags face Queen’s Park in the second leg of their Premiership play-off quarter-final.

Doolan’s side beat the Spiders 4-3 in the first leg on Tuesday night at Firhill.

A statement on the club’s website read: “All at Partick Thistle FC are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Lawrence Doolan, the father of first-team manager Kris Doolan, this morning.

“We know every Partick Thistle supporter and all connected with the club will join us in sending their love, thoughts and condolences to Kris and his family at this difficult time.”

Steve Cooper says Nottingham Forest’s assignment at Chelsea on Saturday is not made any easier by the London club’s recent struggles.

Forest head to Stamford Bridge looking for the three points that could virtually secure their Premier League status and will fancy their chances, despite their dreadful away record.

Chelsea ended a nine-game winless run at Bournemouth last week, but they have not won any of their last five league home matches.

Cooper says he does not take any notice of the problems Frank Lampard is enduring.

“We are playing Chelsea away so that is always going to be a tough game at any time of the season, you look at the squad they have, the changes they can make, the team they can start with, they have players all over the pitch who can make a difference and we have to be ready for that,” he said.

“I never pay any attention to any context around a team we play against apart from them being at their best because I always think you have to prepare for that.

“That’s what we’ll be doing. We want to go there with our best intentions of getting a result we really need and want.

“We have got to know what it takes from our guys to do well and try and minimise the strengths they have because there is a lot.”

Forest will give Serge Aurier every chance to be fit after he limped off in Monday night’s win over Southampton with a knock.

“Serge walked off and we’re doing everything we can to see if he’s available,” he said.

“Maybe in a different time of the season and if Neco (Williams) was fit it might be a different situation, but we are going to give him everything we have to be available. But that might be touch and go.

“(Gustavo) Scarpa is back in full training now so he won’t be far off being available. (Emmanuel) Dennis has been injured, he picked up a knock in training before Southampton and he is still not available.

“Still a bit of a mixed bag, it’s definitely been worse but not something we’re paying attention to.”

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes praised David Watson for the way he has handled being thrown into the club’s relegation battle after handing the 18-year-old a new contract.

The midfielder has signed a two-year extension which ties the Ayrshire teenager to Rugby Park until the summer of 2025.

After enjoying two League Cup outings at the start of the campaign, Watson made his cinch Premiership debut at Ibrox in March and has gone on to start each of the last six matches.

Recent figures showed only 18 players eligible for Scotland Under-21s had started a Premiership game this season but McInnes is happy to plunge his young midfielder into the heat of the battle.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s visit of Livingston, McInnes said: “It’s always important a club tries to identify early on the better youngsters and tries to get them signed up.

“For a lot of clubs including ourselves getting as many younger ones through and into the team is clearly vitally important.

“We have lost a couple that we didn’t really want to lose in my short time here and there’s one or two more we would like to extend.

“But David has done very well in the first team, it’s not fazed him and he has handled everything that has been asked of him.

“He is always a boy we were drawn to when we first came in, the way he trains, the way he plays the game, and a lot of credit has to go to the development of the younger coaches here.

“It’s a reward for his performances and how he goes about his business. It gives encouragement to everyone in the academy what can be done, regardless of your age, if you are good enough you will get into the team.

“Sometimes youngsters can go in and play with abandonment. You want the boys to play the game anyway rather than the situation.

“Everyone likes to see a younger one coming through, particularly supporters, but David is there on merit.”

Killie play three of their last four league games at Rugby Park and McInnes has challenged his side to make home advantage count.

“You see from Saturday, the three teams at home (in the bottom six) won the game,” he said.

“Our home form has helped keep us in the fight – our away from would get us relegated, our home form would get us in the top six.

“I do feel with three home games coming up, it’s important we win the first one and that dose of confidence would help no end.”

Left-back Ben Chrisene’s season is over because of a hamstring injury while Kyle Vassell remains a doubt because of a similar problem.

“We resisted the chance to play him last week,” McInnes said of the striker.

“He has progressed but again it’s a similar conversation with Kyle and the physios.

“I need certainty that he is going to be OK because it’s that whole risk and reward thing. It’s important we have him fully fit rather than half fit, because if he is half fit you run the risk of extending the injury.

“Hopefully he is leading the line for us but if it takes another game then so be it.”

Sheffield Wednesday manager Darren Moore has called on his side to carry their winning momentum into Friday’s League One play-off semi-final first leg at Peterborough.

The Owls, who finished third in the table, ended the regular season with four consecutive wins.

“We have pushed for 46 games to get here and now we want continue that momentum,” said Moore.

“We come into the play-offs with good momentum, and good form and that is what you want.

“But even with that good form, we want to continue to get better, and that is the consistent message at this football club.”

Sunday’s 2-0 win at Barnsley enabled Peterborough to leapfrog Derby into sixth place with a helping hand from Wednesday, who beat the Rams 1-0.

Moore, however, will hope that is as far as his side’s charity extends, having seen them finish 19 points clear of their semi-final opponents and just two adrift of second-placed Ipswich.

Wednesday, who lost out to Sunderland at the same stage last season, will be favourites to progress.

“This is what we sign up for,” added Moore. “When you come to Sheffield Wednesday, you have to embrace the expectancy and we have certainly done that.

“We know the passion the city holds for this football club. I live in the city, I feel it, I know it, I enjoy it, and I understand it.

“The players certainly want to be remembered, and the only way to do that is with success.”

Peterborough’s last-gasp surge into the play-offs represents a triumph for persistence.

Manager Darren Ferguson, who resigned in February last year with the club slipping towards the Championship exit, returned for a fourth spell in charge in January following successor Grant McCann’s departure.

Ferguson said: “This is not a time to take a step back. We are three wins away from a great achievement.

“We were back to work straight after celebrating the Barnsley win and we will be ready for a very big challenge.”

Julen Lopetegui insists Wolves need to spend to avoid another relegation dogfight.

The former Real Madrid manager has guided Wolves to safety with three games left, despite being bottom of the table at Christmas.

He is due to meet chairman Jeff Shi before the end of the season to thrash out the club’s plans for the summer and beyond now their Premier League status is assured.

Those talks will include discussions over his transfer kitty at Molineux after a season of struggle.

“We have to be together in the same way, we want to improve. In football you have to want to increase your performance and squad. This is about investment too,” said Lopetegui ahead of Saturday’s trip to Manchester United.

“I am going to have a long meeting with our chairman to hear him and hear what his ideas are for next year. This is going to be key for me.

“That’s why I have to hear him and know first hand what his ideas are. After I will have more information to take a decision.

“We have to improve and have to take advantage of the summer. If not we know the level of the Premier League; the first step is to hear him.

“Afterwards we will take our decision about a lot of players. In the right moment I’m going to talk, first with the club and afterwards with the players about what is going to be our idea.

“We want to improve, we need to improve. We have had a very hard year. We have to be ready to improve and be able to compete better in the next year.

“We have to be ready. This year has been a very hard year for all, maybe it can serve as a lesson for all of us.”

Lopetegui has no new injury worries for the trip to Old Trafford with Wolves 13th and 10 points clear of the drop zone.

“United are a very good team, with top players, a good coach with a very clear idea in the way they want to play,” he added.

“They are fighting to be in a good position to be in next season’s Champions League. This is a very difficult achievement.”

Steven Naismith insists Hearts go into Saturday’s crunch game against St Mirren with increased confidence despite suffering defeat by Celtic last week.

The Hoops clinched the cinch Premiership title with a 2-0 win at Tynecastle, where goals from Kyogo Furuhashi and Oh Hyeon-gyu came after the home side lost Alex Cochrane to a contentious VAR-assisted red card on the stroke of half-time.

The Gorgie side had caused Celtic problems until it was adjudged that the Jambos defender had denied Parkhead attacker Daizen Maeda an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

Hearts interim boss Naismith had enjoyed a 6-1 win over Ross County in his first home match in charge but was far from disheartened by the Celtic setback.

“If anything else it gives us more confidence,” said Naismith, who revealed that appealing against Cochrane’s red card was discussed but it was decided “we don’t want to risk losing a player for longer”.

He added: “We have challenged the team at the top of the league who have been away out in front consistently with their performances and limited them to very little opportunities and more looking to the first half, we caused them loads of problems and not many teams have done that this season.

“I said after the game that there were lots of positives and that’s the way we looked at it coming away from the game.

“Not just looking at the game but the data that comes with it, it’s not perception, it’s fact.

“In the first half we were the dominant team, we created the better chances, where we played the game was in the better areas for us in general.

“We also analysed the goals and how they came and what we can do better but overall we are still definitely progressing as I would like and now we have to get results.”

With four fixtures remaining, Hearts are in fourth place in the table, five points behind Aberdeen, one ahead of Hibernian and two ahead of Stephen Robinson’s St Mirren, who have lost three in a row since beating the Jambos 2-0 at Tynecastle last month.

Naismith, whose side host the Dons the week after the St Mirren game, said: “The next couple of games coming up for us are going to be important.

“But we would rather be in this position, trying to go for European football than be in mid-table and not to be involved.

“St Mirren have consistently been in most games this season and they have done really well to get into the top six.

“I know as a club it is something they have been pushing for in the last few seasons and have narrowly missed out. This time they have made it which is an achievement in itself.

“The manager has come in and done a fantastic job and they have a way of playing we need to guard against.

“And as much as the results haven’t been there for them in the last couple of games, they definitely have a threat going forward.”

Everton manager Sean Dyche insists it would be wrong to think “everything is solved” following their resounding win over Brighton.

A 5-1 victory, only the club’s second away win in the Premier League this season, lifted the relegation-threatened Toffees out of the bottom three and two points clear of the drop zone.

However, despite the morale-boosting result prompting many pundits to now favour Everton escaping a first top-flight relegation since 1951, Dyche has cautioned against complacency – especially with treble-chasing Manchester City next up at Goodison Park.

“When I walked in here the thing that hit me instantly was a big result, big everything; tough result, low everything. That needed to change in-house,” he told the club’s website.

“The in-house feel here, the environment we work in, and the flow had to get more level and more consistent in our daily work and thinking.

“We’ve spoken to the players and staff about it. It’s important to handle good times in terms of not thinking everything is solved and right and proper.

“When I talk about seeing through the noise, that maybe implies when things aren’t going right but it very much applies to when things are going right as well.”

Chelsea striker Sam Kerr has expressed her pride over her role in the King’s coronation last weekend, describing it as an “amazing experience”.

The Australia international on Saturday led her country’s delegation in the formal procession, carrying the flag as they made their way into Westminster Abbey.

Kerr, who helped Chelsea thrash Everton 7-0 in the Women’s Super League the following day, said: “I got offered the opportunity to be part of it about a month ago while I was in international camp, and I originally thought the Everton game was on the same day, so I thought it was not doable.

“But Emma (Hayes, the Chelsea manager) and the club were kind enough to let me attend, obviously because it’s an amazing, amazing honour, and something I’ll probably tell my kids about in 10, 15 years.

“It’s been a crazy week. I was quite worried about missing a training session, because that’s just who I am.

“But it all worked out – we had two wins (also 2-1 against Liverpool on May 3) and I got to attend the King’s coronation, which was something that was an amazing experience for me and a proud moment for my family.”

Kerr was speaking ahead of Chelsea taking on Manchester United on Sunday in what is the first Women’s FA Cup final to sell out Wembley.

The last two finals have been won by the Blues with Kerr scoring a brace in each, and the prolific 29-year-old forward said: “I love playing at Wembley, I think it’s probably my favourite stadium to play at in the world, just based on whenever you go there it’s a big game.

“I think this team always steps up when there’s a big occasion so it’s going be amazing – a packed-out crowd – my family is coming over for it. It’s going to be very exciting.”

As well as the FA Cup triumphs, Chelsea – currently a point behind WSL leaders United with a game in hand after Wednesday’s 6-0 victory over Leicester – have also secured three league titles and two League Cups since Kerr joined during the 2019-20 season.

Kerr added: “I think when you win one trophy, you can’t help but want more.

“I love winning, whether it’s FA Cup finals, a game at the weekend, in training, whatever, and I hate losing, so it’s easy to stay motivated as a footballer, that’s our job, that’s why we do it. If I wasn’t motivated, I wouldn’t be playing football. The FA Cup is a very important trophy to us and hopefully we can keep it at Chelsea.”

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell would be “amazed” if any Scottish club could afford to buy player-of-the-year contender Kevin van Veen.

The 31-year-old is open to a summer move after hitting 25 goals so far this season and being nominated for top player in the PFA Scotland awards.

But Kettlewell is comfortable the Dutchman is happy at Fir Park unless both he and the club receive an offer they cannot refuse.

“I would be amazed if a club in Scotland could come up with the money we would be thinking about for Kevin van Veen,” said the Motherwell manager, whose team face St Johnstone on Saturday.

“This is where he is so categorically, I am so categoric; as it stands, unless someone was able to put life-changing money in front of Motherwell – and it would have to be both parties – then he will remain a Motherwell player.”

Van Veen has a year left on his contract and spoke about the potential for a summer move after his award nomination was announced on Wednesday – but there were no surprises for Kettlewell in what his player said.

“I am comfortable that I have had so many conversations with Kevin on a personal level, manager to striker,” Kettlewell said.

“And the one thing we both agree on is that he is extremely happy here, that the football club is really happy with him, the supporters love him and I love working with him on a daily basis.

“But there is always a cross point where, if someone puts a ridiculous offer in front of you, sometimes the football club have to profit on it.”

Motherwell made a deficit of about £1million last season and this season’s loss is expected to be even higher.

Kettlewell said: “It would be safe to say it’s been a really challenging year for the club financially. We don’t want to get rid of the player but sometimes an offer comes along that you can’t say no to. I think that’s all that Kevin was saying as well.”

There were strong rumours of a potential move to China earlier this year but no switch materialised before the country’s transfer window closed in early April.

When asked if there had been concrete interest in the Dutchman, Kettlewell said: “There’s not been anything this last spell.

“I have heard a lot of speculation. Every part of a situation that involves Kevin van Veen or any player, they are 100 per cent aware of any situation where there is contact directly to the club or myself.

“When I was a player, if that wasn’t made known to you by the powers that be at the club then I think you create a real problem for yourself.

“Anybody that contacts me or the club, the conversation is had with the player. It’s never to disrupt them, it’s always the opposite.

“It could be something that’s serious, it could be something that’s pure speculation. It could be something that’s in the press that has not happened that disrupts a player, which by the way is happening continuously.

“If there’s something official the player will hear about it directly from myself.”

Highly-regarded Kilmarnock teenager David Watson has committed his future to his boyhood club by signing a two-year contract extension until June 2025.

The 18-year-old midfielder has been part of Killie’s academy for more than a decade and has broken into the first team this term.

After enjoying two League Cup outings at the start of the campaign, Watson made his Premiership debut in March and has gone on to start each of the last six matches in Derek McInnes’ engine room.

“Reaching the first team had been the goal since I joined the club as a seven-year-old, but I feel like my journey here is only just getting started,” he told the Killie website after signing his new deal.

“There are so many factors that make Kilmarnock the right place for the next stage of my career.

“The manager has given me so much belief about what we can achieve over the next two years and I’m excited about the future that lies ahead.”

Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored as Inter Milan took charge of their Champions League semi-final against AC Milan with a 2-0 first-leg win at San Siro.

Inter blitzed their city rivals with two goals in the first 11 minutes and could easily have put the tie to bed after a dominant first-half display.

Milan improved after the break but will be grateful to still be in reach of the 2010 champions after a disappointing performance in front of their supporters.

The fierce rivals had not met in the Champions League since a quarter-final clash in 2005, which was abandoned after 73 minutes of the second leg when a section of Inter fans hurled flares on to the pitch – one of which struck and injured Milan goalkeeper Dida.

Milan, bidding for an eighth European Cup trophy and a first final since their 2007 success, were dealt a blow before kick-off with star forward Rafael Leao ruled out by a muscle injury and they were soon blown away by a blistering start from Simone Inzaghi’s side.

Inter were ahead after just eight minutes as former Manchester City striker Dzeko outmuscled Davide Calabria from Federico Dimarco’s corner and thrashed a volley from 12 yards past the helpless Mike Maignan in the Milan goal.

And they had a second just three minutes later. Dimarco was released down the left and cut the ball across the box into the path of the onrushing Mkhitaryan, who marched through the Milan defence to stroke past Maignan.

The Rossoneri were all at sea and Inter came within inches of a third when former Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu lashed a 25-yard strike against a post, before Maignan blocked Mkhitaryan’s effort from close range.

There was a huge moment of relief for Stefano Pioli’s side after Inter were awarded a penalty in the 31st minute as Lautaro Martinez went down under a challenge from Simon Kjaer. But Spanish referee Jesus Gil Manzano was asked to review his decision by the VAR and decided to overturn his original call.

Martinez flashed a strike narrowly over before Denzel Dumfries just failed to apply the finishing touch to Dimarco’s cross-shot as Inter continued their total dominance of the first half.

Milan started the second period much better. Brahim Diaz curled just wide from 20 yards and Junior Messias wasted a great chance when through on goal.

Dzeko was denied by a good one-on-one save from Maignan but Milan’s improvement continued and substitute Divock Origi played a key role in setting up Sandro Tonali, whose strike cannoned off the base of the left post.

But Inter drew the sting out of Milan’s revival and took a big step towards the final in Istanbul.

Pernille Harder scored twice as Chelsea warmed up for the FA Cup final by moving a point behind Women’s Super League leaders Manchester United thanks to a 6-0 thrashing of lowly Leicester.

Emma Hayes’ reigning champions, who face United at Wembley on Sunday, took control of the contest courtesy of Guro Reiten’s eighth-minute finish and Erin Cuthbert’s 50th goal for the club.

Harder’s second double in as many games – following a brace in Sunday’s 7-0 thrashing over Everton – put the result doubt before the break.

Lauren James stretched the Blues’ advantage with a stunning solo goal in the 56th minute before Jelena Cankovic completed the scoring in added time with another spectacular strike.

Second-placed Chelsea, who have won four league matches in a row, have a game in hand on title rivals United and an identical goal difference.

Relegation-threatened Leicester – thumped 8-0 at home by the Blues in December – remain two points above bottom club Reading with two games to go following their 15th defeat of a difficult campaign.

Arsenal boosted their hopes of Champions League qualification by climbing to third after Stina Blackstenius’ early brace helped them record a 4-0 success over Brighton.

Sweden forward Blackstenius struck in the sixth and eighth minutes to set the visitors on course for a comfortable victory.

Frida Maanum and Victoria Pelova also claimed first-half goals for the Gunners, who climbed above Manchester City on goal difference with a game in hand.

Watford have appointed Valerien Ismael as their new head coach.

Ex-Barnsley and West Brom boss Ismael replaces Chris Wilder, who has left Vicarage Road at the end of his short-term deal.

Ismael’s contract length has not been disclosed by Watford but he is the 19th full-time appointment made by the Pozzo family during the past 11 years.

Watford technical director Ben Manga told the club’s official website: “Being able to appoint a new coach so soon in May means we can prepare very well together for next season.

“To be able to welcome someone of Valerien’s experience to Watford is good news for our club. We are all looking forward to working with him.”

It continues the extraordinary churn of managers at Watford under the ownership of the Pozzo family with Wilder only appointed in March after Slaven Bilic had been sacked.

Speculation had been rife over the future of former Sheffield United manager Wilder in recent weeks and his departure was confirmed on Wednesday night.

“The Hornets would like to place on record their thanks to Chris Wilder and his staff, whose short-term contracts have come to an end,” a club statement read.

“His 11-game spell began in March and finished after the season’s final-day win at home to Stoke City. We wish Chris, Alan Knill, Matt Prestridge and Mike Allen all the very best for their next opportunity in football.”

Ismael arrives at Vicarage Road after a spell in Turkey in charge of Besiktas.

After numerous managerial stints in Germany, most notably with Wolfsburg, the Frenchman enjoyed success at Barnsley in 2021 after he guided them into the Sky Bet Championship play-offs against the odds.

It earned the 47-year-old a move to West Brom, but he was sacked after only seven months and will now aim to help Watford pursue a return to the Premier League.

Motherwell striker Kevin van Veen joked that journalists thought he was on the whisky when he revealed the goal targets he realised to become a player of the year candidate.

The 31-year-old Dutch forward, who joined Well from Scunthorpe in 2021, is the only non-Celtic player among the four nominees for the PFA Scotland Premiership player of the year award.

Van Veen is on the shortlist alongside the title-winning Hoops trio of Reo Hatate, Kyogo Furuhashi and last season’s winner Callum McGregor.

Van Veen has scored 25 goals this term for the eight-placed Steelmen, including 13 in his last 12 games, and is currently joint second-highest scorer in the top flight, alongside Hearts’ Lawrence Shankland, with 21 to his name.

Furuhashi has notched 30 goals in all competitions and sits top of the Premiership scoring charts with 24.

Van Veen said: “I always believed in myself. That’s why I said last year when journalists came to the club, ‘I am going to chase the top scorers in this league’ and I have done it this year.

“No, they definitely did not (believe him). They probably thought this was just a random Motherwell striker talking, had a whisky in the morning and he is probably not all there.

“I said it because I believed in myself. I know what I am capable of. I am just very happy that I have shown people what I am capable of and what I can do.”

Van Veen still has another year on his contract and asked about the speculation around his future he said. “I can’t say anything other than I am focused on Motherwell.

“I love playing for the club, they gave me a platform to show what I can do.

“But if the club gets a very good transfer sum in the summer, I am willing to help the club.

“It doesn’t mean I want to leave but if everyone is happy and everyone thinks it is the right thing then we need to sit round the table and see what’s best for the player and the club. We have to see what will happen.”

On his nomination, Van Veen said: “I am very happy. To get recognition from the players you have played against, it shows I have done something to impress them.

“I think the other three nominees are sensational players, it is a pretty good achievement for myself.”

England forward Beth Mead says she will “try my hardest” to make the summer’s World Cup while admitting “it may be a little bit too soon”.

Mead, who claimed the Golden Boot and player of the tournament award when the Lionesses won the Euros on home soil last year, has been sidelined since suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament while playing for Arsenal in November.

In March, England boss Sarina Wiegman said she was planning for the World Cup without Mead, adding: “If a miracle happens and she goes so fast (in her recovery), then we will reconsider it – but at this moment I don’t expect that.”

Speaking on Wednesday as she received an MBE at Windsor Castle for services to football, Mead told the PA news agency: “I’m back on the pitch, back kicking a ball. So it’s starting to be a little bit more normal again, but it’s been a long, tough period.

“I will try my hardest to get as close to that as possible. But (the World Cup) may be a little bit too soon for me this time around.”

Mead also told Sky Sports she was “ahead of schedule” in her recovery, before adding that her World Cup participation is “out of my control”.

The showpiece in Australia and New Zealand gets under way on July 20, with Wiegman set to name her squad for the tournament later this month.

Mead is one of four Arsenal players to have sustained ACL injuries this season, with England captain Leah Williamson another, along with Vivianne Miedema and Laura Wienroither.

On the broader picture in terms of ACL injuries, Mead told PA: “I think there’s more that can be done. Obviously, we’ll be delving into that a lot more as individuals and as a club and in the women’s game in general.

“I think it’s becoming like six more times likely than male players and we’ve got that figure and that’s something that can help.

“It’s a long injury and you don’t want to be seeing any player going out with it, but some of the best players that you want to be seeing in World Cups and things like that (have sustained the injury).

“We’ll try and help push that out there more and get more research done on that.”

Also receiving an MBE on Wednesday was Mead’s England team-mate Lucy Bronze, who has been out of action herself after undergoing knee surgery last month.

The Barcelona defender, whose club play Wolfsburg in the Champions League final on June 3, said: “I think (the World Cup) is really far in the future and I should be back training within a few weeks now. The surgery was two weeks ago but very minor compared to some of the other girls.

“I’m hoping to get back fit for the Champions League final.”

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