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‘He deserved better’ rage EastEnders viewers as they slam BBC for Bobby Beale’s ‘s*** exit story’

EASTENDERS fans were left fuming after Bobby Beale’s final scenes, and have complained he wasn’t given a proper exit from the show.

Clay Milner Russell announced that he would be quitting the BBC soap in April, after becoming the fifth actor to play Bobby in 2019.

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BBC
Bobby Beale recently left EastEnders for good[/caption]
a man in a car with bbc written on the bottom right
BBC
Jane returned to take him to his new life in the Cotswolds[/caption]

Viewers have been wondering how his time on EastEnders would come to a close – but they were left disappointed by the result.

The poor teen was devastated after discovering his girlfriend was cheating on him while pregnant with his baby.

He witnessed Anna Knight locking lips with Freddie in the Vic after he went to support her with the baby news.

At the time fans called for Freddie and Anna to get the axe, claiming the pair were “ruining the show” with their betrayal.

Sadly, it was Bobby who ended up packing his bags after discovering that Anna got an abortion and had confessed her love for Freddie.

He decided he had been through too much in Walford and wanted a fresh start.

Bobby visited the grave of Lucy one final time before being picked up and taken back to the Cotswolds by Jane.

He killed his sister when he was 11 in a fit of rage and has been haunted by guilt for his actions ever since.

Anna turned up to beg him to stay and rekindle their relationship, but Bobby stood up for himself, retorting: “No. I don’t want to make it work.

“You should’ve told me that you were pregnant but you just made assumptions which proves that you don’t really know me, not the real me, not what’s in my heart.”

When Freddie also arrived on the scene, Bobby added: “So why would I want to be with you? You two deserve each other.

“It’s time to forget being Bobby Beale and just focus on being Bobby.”

Long term fans of the soap have been unimpressed with the way he left Walford, and hit out at the show writers for not giving him a better storyline.

One person complained: “Clay deserved a better exit for Bobby. 5 years ago, he was allowed to showcase his talents. But at least Jane came back.”

Another agreed: “His exit story was pretty s**t but I’m really gonna miss Bobby. I hope Clay returns to the show in a few years time.”

A source previously revealed the reasons behind Clay’s decision to leave EastEnders, saying: “Clay’s a talented actor and he’s ambitious.

“He was never going to stay in EastEnders forever. He’s loved playing Bobby but he became an actor to play all kinds of roles and he wants to do that.

“The door is being left open but for now it’s a definite goodbye.”

EastEnders stars who QUIT

MICHELLE Collins has seen her second EastEnders stint boost her bank balance. Yet what stars have quit this year?

The Sun exclusively reported how Michelle, 62, was down to £20,000 in her company accounts when she agreed to a shock back-from-the-dead return to Albert Square last year.

Her character, Cindy Beale, was presumed dead off-camera in 1998.

Yet what about the 2024 exits?

Earlier this summer, loyal soap fans appeared to note how Stevie Mitchell had “quit” the long-running series.

It came after Alan Ford enjoyed just six-months on-screen.

Bobby Beale actor Clay Milner Russell also left this year after five years in Walford.

Fans also feared Martin Fowler actor James Bye would “quit out of boredom” over recent storylines.

Additionally, a host of stars have quit the BBC soap for Hollywood fame.

One of the most successful stars to come from the BBC One soap is Rob Kazinsky.

He played Stacey Slater’s brother Sean Slater from 2006 to 2009, he has starred in Hollywood blockbusters Pacific Rim and Captain Marvel.

Ben Hardy, who quit EastEnders as Bobby Beale almost a decade ago, went on to break Hollywood the following year, when he starred as Archangel in X-Men: Apocalypse.

Since then, he has played Roger Taylor in Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, and he starred in Michael Bay’s Netflix movie 6 Underground.

Michelle Ryan played Zoe Slater until 2005.

She starred as the lead in short-lived American series Bionic Woman from 2007 to 2008.

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Sean Dyche forced to bring list of injured Everton stars to press conference with only three of starting XI available

SEAN DYCHE has revealed Everton could be without several key players for Saturday’s trip to Leicester City.

The Toffees are yet to earn a point in the Premier League this season having lost each of their opening four games.

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Sean Dyche has revealed Everton could be without eight first team stars against Leicester City[/caption]
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Jarrad Branthwaite is working his way back to full fitness[/caption]
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Seamus Coleman’s injury is worse than initially feared[/caption]

They go into this weekend rock bottom of the table with a goal difference of minus nine.

And things could go from bad to worse when they face Leicester at the King Power Stadium.

Dyche was forced to admit that just three members of his preferred starting line-up are fit ahead of Saturday’s match.

The remaining eight players are either certain to miss the clash, or they are doubtful.

Everton boss Dyche explained: “I’ve brought a list just to make sure I don’t forget anyone!

“Jarrad [Branthwaite] is making progress and hopefully will be able to get involved with the game this weekend. It’s looking like he will do with the Under-21s.

James Tarkowski, we’re hopeful. He trained today and there’s no reaction.

“Nathan Patterson, same as Jarrad. Dominic Calvert-Lewin looks okay today. He was back in on the grass so hopefully his illness is gone.

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“Jimmy Garner is still not in with illness. Idrissa [Gueye] has unfortunately had a family bereavement so he won’t be here.

“Myko [Vitaliy Mykolenko] is through the illness, he was in today so we’re hopeful that’s him done.

“Seamus [Coleman] is still injured, unfortunately it’s going to be longer than we hoped, so that’s not going to be a quick situation, we’re not sure of the timescales yet.

“Youssef [Chermiti] is making good progress but obviously quite a long-term injury. Armando [Broja] is making progress, but also obviously a longer term injury.

“And Keano [Michael Keane] is getting checked out today, just having a precautionary scan to make sure he’s ok.”

Everton were hit with another huge blow earlier this week when they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Southampton.

Dyche’s side suffered a 6-5 defeat on penalties following a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park.

Everton's injury/illness concerns

Injury:

  • Jarrad Branthwaite
  • Seamus Coleman
  • Youssef Chermiti
  • Armando Broja
  • Michael Keane
  • Nathan Patterson

Illness:

  • Jimmy Garner
  • Vitaliy Mykolenko
  • Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Bereavement:

  • Idrissa Gueye

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Former England star David James makes Premier League top four prediction with Chelsea and Man Utd long way off the pace

DAVID JAMES has given his predictions for which teams will make the top four of the Premier League.

James, 54, played the best part of 600 games in the Premier League between 1992 and 2010, starring for Liverpool, West Ham, Manchester City and Portsmouth.

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David James has named the clubs he is backing to make the top four[/caption]
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Reuters
But he has snubbed Man Utd, Chelsea and Tottenham in doing so[/caption]
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James backed Newcastle or Aston Villa to take the final top four spot[/caption]

And the former England international reckons two of his former teams will be shoe-ins for a title race.

Speaking to SafestCasinoSites, James said: “Manchester City will expect to win the league, or at least that is my expectation from them. That is simply what City do.

Arsenal will be up there. I expect Arsenal to mount another title challenge, and I think Liverpool will do the same thing.”

In terms of the top four, James has named Newcastle and Aston Villa as the teams he believes are most likely to make the top four, snubbing Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United.

James continued: “The final position is a little bit trickier to predict.

“I think Villa will be there, but sadly for them to do that, then they will likely have to sacrifice the domestic cup competitions, which is a shame, but that’s the reality of the standard in the Premier League these days.

“I think Newcastle could be there or thereabouts. I like the club’s start to the season, which has been achieved in less than harmonious circumstances.

“We’ve seen Eddie Howe do it before, so we know he has that in his locker.

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Chelsea, they have some wonderful players, but consistency will be the main issue for them.

“I can’t see them being consistent enough to challenge for a place in the top four over a thirty-eight-game season.

“If I’m looking at the table as things stand, then I’m pretty sure the top four will come from the clubs that are currently sat in those positions, possibly even in the same order.

“It’s between Villa and Newcastle for the fourth-placed position.”

The current top five are the clubs James already mentioned, with Villa in fifth with third-place Newcastle and fourth-place Liverpool.

Man City and Arsenal make up the top two and face off at the Etihad this weekend.

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Bombshell Diddy claims of ‘assault & sex with male teen star’ revealed in late ex’s shock memoir from beyond the grave

A BOMBSHELL book is accusing disgraced rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs of assaulting his late girlfriend and taping himself having sex with a male teen popstar.

The shocking claims are some of many included in a 60-page memoir from beyond the grave, named “Kim’s Lost Words”.

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and his late girlfriend Kim Porter during The 77th Annual Academy Awards[/caption]
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The music producer is accused of racketeering and sex trafficking[/caption]
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Porter and Combs with two of their three children together[/caption]
Amazon
The bombshell book allegedly details Diddy’s love life[/caption]

It is believed to be an assortment of Kim Porter’s diaries, which her friends exposed to the public.

Porter was the mother of three of Diddy’s children and passed away from pneumonia in 2018.

The inflammatory book allegedly gives a glimpse into Combs’ colourful love life from the 1990s to Porter’s last year.

It includes alleged philandering with both male and female rappers and top musicians as well as debauched orgies at his house that Porter participated in.

The book came out on September 6, a few days before federal prosecutors in New York accused the rapper and founder of Bad Boy Records on charges of racketeering and sex trafficking.

The 54-year-old music producer behind many iconic ’90s hits was denied bail by a second judge on Wednesday and remains in jail following his arrest on Monday evening at a Manhattan hotel.

On Tuesday, he pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him, which include racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution.

He is currently being held in the infamous Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, which formerly housed fellow disgraced musician R Kelly and Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s right hand.

Now, in the brief memoir, Diddy is said to have threatened Porter’s life and slapping her after losing his temper.

In the book, Porter tells the story of allegedly finding and duplicating videos that Diddy produced of himself having sex with “young boys” under his management, including one that allegedly features an 18-year-old who later became a well-known popstar.

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Kim Porter tragically passed away from pneumonia in 2018[/caption]
Reuters
A court sketch of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs[/caption]
The Mega Agency
The music mogul denies all the charges against him[/caption]

Porter allegedly said that as part of her plan to leave Sean, she found video tapes of his sex experiences in his bedroom “vault” and copied them for her own safety.

But the memoir claimed that she was shocked when she watched the tapes again.

Porter allegedly wrote: “Some of the tapes had things I would have never expected, the gay parties are one thing, but the young boys, like [two hip hop stars formerly managed by Diddy] and [the then-18-year-old popstar]?! I would have never known.”

She then falls fatefully ill in the memoir’s last chapter, dramatically messaging her pals, “he got me,” before dialling 911.

Producer Chris Todd, who publishes the book in Los Angeles, claims that Porter shared a flash drive containing her writing with close friends, which he acquired and slightly altered to create a book published under the alias Jamal T Millwood.

The book is marked as having been printed on September 7 this year in Las Vegas.

Todd hasn’t provided any written proof that it’s real, but he has put physical copies on Amazon for sale.

He told DailyMail.com: “I was lucky enough to meet someone that purported to have Kim Porter’s flash drive.

“I know the celebrity source pretty well. I know how close they were to Kim and Diddy, and all the people in the hip hop community.

“This was supposedly for Kim Porter from the grave, to come forward and tell her story.”

Todd claimed he did not originally want to put his name on the book for security reasons, saying: “This is a dangerous situation, and I didn’t want to claim ownership of Kim’s words.

“But now I’m willing to come forward because of the recent arrest of Sean Combs.

“Now the federal government has finally acted, I feel safer to come forward.”

Reports have already surfaced detailing some of the scandals purportedly detailed in the book, including star-studded orgies that the alleged participants have categorically denied occurring.

Porter claimed in her memoir: “He hosted parties that were just a fancy name of orgies, and everyone wanted in.

The Mega Agency
Sordid ‘Freak off’ orgies were allegedly held at his homes in Star Island, Florida[/caption]
Instagram / upscaleluxury
Diddy’s massive bed measuring 50 feet is located in the back of one of his properties[/caption]
The giant bed seen from afar
Instagram / upscaleluxury

“We not only had threesomes, but we also swapped partners. Our sex life was crazy, but I got to do things with Sean I would never have been able to do with a straight man.”

The late girlfriend added she was sleeping with a well-known married woman, writing: “I woke up and left the bedroom where I was,… and Sean happened to be coming out of the bedroom with a chart-topping rapper – and the woman’s husband.”

“I was grateful I wasn’t asked to join in that room,” Porter allegedly wrote, saying she “didn’t really like” the rapper.

The mum-of-three then went on to claim that she and Diddy had an “open relationship” and that she would often sleep with late legendary rapper Tupac Shakur.

According to the bombshell book, Porter claimed that Combs first hit her after she refused to use a strap-on on him.

“I just can’t stop thinking about that night. It was amazing. Can you screw me one more time. Please?!” Diddy allegedly said.

Porter said in the book that she became “infuriated” and then allegedly told Diddy to go have sex with a male music executive instead, since she thought he was seeing someone else.

“Then Sean hit me. This was the first time, but he slapped me hard. Before I could form words, he began to beg, ‘I’m… I’m sorry’,” the memoir reads.

“Holding my cheek where he hit me, I turned and ran off. That should have been it. But I guess I am a glutton for punishment.

The short book also described another alleged incident at Porter’s apartment, in which she was allegedly attacked and threatened.

“He fiercely slammed me to the ground. Then he pulled out a .22 [handgun] and sat it on the end table,” it was claimed.

“He knelt on one knee, and got right in my face to say, ‘You’re mine. You don’t have a choice in that now. I can’t live without you.’

“He’s a terrifying monster.”

Book publisher Todd asserted that copies of the music mogul’s alleged sex recordings were also in the possession of Porter and Diddy’s pals, who gave him the memoir.

He also said that a dubious intermediary had been pitching them to Hollywood documentarians.

“I was given the memoir, 60 pages. I was also given a photo, and told if I wanted access to the Diddy sex tapes, I could have that also,” Todd said.

“I know for a fact the [sex tape of Diddy with the teenage pop star] has been shopped to Hollywood studios by other parties.”

Todd released a picture of Porter, claiming it was shot in her 2009 Toluca Lake estate bathroom.

He said that Porter’s friend snapped the picture of her applying makeup to hide an injury she got during one of Diddy’s alleged attacks.

The picture’s backdrop is identical to pictures taken by a realtor of the mansion’s master bathroom, where Porter was subsequently discovered dead in 2018.

It comes as a a newly-filed indictment claimed Diddy hid sordid orgies in secret “sex rooms” at his mansions on one of the most expensive pieces of American real estate.

Cops who swept Diddy’s Miami mansion have also revealed the jailed music mogul could turn out to be as bad as Jeffrey Epstein.

The Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where Diddy is being held, features 10ft by 12ft cells containing little more than a bunk bed
US DOJ
The prison has been described as one of the most troubled in America
US DOJ
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Sean Combs, pictured in 2018, is among high-profile names being held at the jail[/caption]

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Inside Ronnie O’Sullivan’s rollercoaster romance with TV star Laila Rouass who he asked out through an ESTATE AGENT

RONNIE O’Sullivan’s love life moves just as fast as one of his infamous 147 breaks.

The Rocket and his fiancee Laila Rouass have called time on their relationship after 12 years together.

When the snooker legend and the glamorous TV star Laila Rouass crossed paths, there was an instant attraction between the pair.

a man and a woman are posing for a picture in front of a green background with the letter f on it
Ronnie O’Sullivan and Laila Rouass have called quits on their relationship
Rex
XI'AN, CHINA - AUGUST 23: Ronnie O'Sullivan of England chalks the cue in the Quarterfinal match against Matthew Selt of England on day 5 of 2024 Xi'an Grand Prix at Qujiang E-sports Centre on August 23, 2024 in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province of China. (Photo by Tai Chengzhe/VCG via Getty Images)
Snooker legend O’Sullivan is a master of billiards

A friend said: “They have been going in different directions.”

Actress Laila was not wearing her diamond engagement ring when she appeared on This Morning last month.

Seven-times world champion Ronnie gave her the huge sparkler in 2013 — a year after they started dating.

However they never married and friends say they have now broken up — 147 months since they got together.

The couple separated in 2022 before patching things up.

A friend said: “Ronnie and Laila really threw themselves back into their relationship after the split a couple of years ago.

“He kept posting pics of them online at home together and saying romantic things on special occasions, but that’s all come to a halt.

“They’ve tried so hard but they just can’t make it work.”

When the snooker legend and the glamorous TV star crossed paths, there was an instant attraction between the pair.

Fate brought them together, with the actress house-hunting and stumbling upon Rocket Ronnie’s home in her search.

Once Ronnie heard Laila was looking around his mansion, he contacted the estate agent, a friend of the Footballers’ Wives beauty, to arrange a date.

Within four months of that giddy 2012, they were living together in his native Essex along with her daughter, Inez from a previous marriage, and engaged in 2013.

Matched up

It began over 12 years ago when Laila was looking for a new home.

She stumbled upon Ronnie’s abode, not knowing it was his, but wanting a viewing.

Ronnie’s father showed her around the property, and later told his son who had been round.

As she explained it to the Belfast Telegraph: “It happened by accident. I was shown around Ronnie’s house by his father, who told his son about meeting me.

“Ronnie called the estate agent, a friend of mine, and asked me out via her.”

Amusingly, she had no clue he was a sporting great.

“When she said he was a snooker player, I said, ‘Yeah, but what does he do for a living?’ I’d never heard of him because sport doesn’t interest me at all, although Ronnie’s won me over to snooker!”

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Glamorous Laila Rouass is an actress who appeared in Footballers’ Wives[/caption]
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Laila Rouass and Ronnie O’Sullivan went through a whirlwind romance
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Doug Seeburg - The Sun
Before they met, Laila Rouass had never heard of Ronnie O’Sullivan[/caption]

Fast mover

Four months later, the pair were head over heels for one another.

They set up home, with Ronnie playing doting stepdad to Laila’s daughter, Inez from her second married to businessman Nasir Khan, a convicted fraudster who was jailed for nine years in 2011 for a VAT scam.

However, it wasn’t easy for Ronnie to settle in at first, due to chaotic nature of the household.

“It was so funny when Ronnie and I first lived together because he’d put his hands over his ears and go, ‘Whoaa, it’s so noisy here!’

A year after their first meeting, they got engaged.

Although, they have never put a time scale on their marriage.

“I’d have to really gear myself up for a wedding,” she told The Sun last year.

“At the moment we’ve put it on the back burner and we’re enjoying our time. There’s no rush.”

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Laila Rouass shows off her amazing curves that attracted Ronnie O’Sullivan
INSTAGRAM
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Ronnie O’Sullivan and Laila Rouass got engaged just a year after meeting
StevenPaston

Trouble in paradise

However, despite everything appearing to be rosy in their garden – the two temporarily split in 2022.

Laila took to social media and wrote: “After nearly ten years of love and memories, Ronnie & I have parted ways.”

The break-up seemingly ended within weeks, with O’Sullivan insisting things were happier than ever.

‘It’s good,” he told the Mirror. “She’s great. I love her. She’s great company and I love being around her.

“She’s very supportive. I have to behave myself. I know when to go, ‘Alright, you’re in charge’.

“But she’s also really good at going, ‘Listen, you’ve got a busy life, you’ve got a lot to do, just get on with it'”.

He added: “Now it feels a lot better – everyone’s just in a better place. I just want to see her and her daughter happy, and her family, who are like my family, happy.”

Laila has been equally as gushing about Ronnie and the influence he has on her and her daughter.

“Ronnie’s had a really calming effect on us and he tells me, ‘Pick your battles’.

“He’s taught me a lot about myself because he’s more open and free than I am and very generous. I can’t imagine him not being in my life.”

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In 2022 Laila Rouass and Ronnie O’Sullivan split for the first time
Rex
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Instagram
Within a few weeks, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Laila Rouass got back together[/caption]

Support system

There was a hint that Ronnie and Laila were finally ready to walk down the aisle, when she listed her Essex mansion for £1.1million last year.

She has been credited with helping Ronnie overcome his demons, including depression and substance abuse.

In the Amazon Prime documentary Ronnie O’Sullivan: The Edge of Everything, Laila opened up on the “soul-destroying” time she has had watching his emotions fluctuate as snooker’s biggest icon.

But her role as supportive partner has never been questioned.

When he accepted his OBE from Prince Charles in 2015, Laila was proudly stood alongside him.

“He was overwhelmed by getting his honour. It’s typical of his modesty that he doesn’t understand why he’s so loved and why he deserved it,” she said.

“I’m so proud of him and think he’s very capable of handling his depression these days. He’s been strong enough to seek help, and brave enough to talk about the problem, and is so positive and upbeat about life.

“I do support him – just as he supports me – and it’s easy to support someone when you know what they’re going through.

“You know what you should and shouldn’t say – it’s about creating a safety net around them.

a man in a suit and tie is holding a medal
Ronnie O’Sullivan shows off his OBE in 2016
PA:Press Association
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Laila Rouass and Ronnie O’Sullivan did offer each other support during their brightest and darkest days
Rex

“He’s under an immense amount of pressure, he’s always a favourite to win which can be hard, and we have to take that on board.

“He lives a very healthy lifestyle these days and uses exercise, especially running, to help him keep his depression at bay. It’s inspiring being with him to be honest.”

Sadly, it wasn’t enough. And now they go their separate ways.

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I was a paramedic before falling into football while backpacking – now I’m about to face ex-Chelsea star Hernan Crespo

ALBERT RIERA left his job as a paramedic in Catalonia to go travelling for a year in New Zealand.

While most twenty-somethings who leave Europe for travel end up sightseeing, maybe getting a bar job to pay the bills, Riera wound up winning the Champions League.

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Albert Riera left Spain for New Zealand in 2010[/caption]

The diminutive 5ft 8in midfielder, now 40, had balanced his ambulance work with being a part-time footballer in Spain’s fourth tier.

But after landing a one-year visa to head to New Zealand, the midfielder had no intention of playing football Down Under.

After his dad pointed him in the direction of Auckland City’s Catalan coach Ramon Tribulietx, however, he ended up somewhat reluctantly sending over footage of his games.

Tribulietx liked what he saw enough to offer him a trial, and Riera never looked back.

“I thought that would be it,” Riera admitted while chatting to The National. “But after one week he said that he wanted to sign me for the rest of the season – two months.

“My friends said, ‘We’ve come to travel, not to play football’. I said, ‘Look, in two months I’ll finish and then we’ll hire a van and travel’. In the meantime, we won the Oceanic Champions League and I travelled to New Caledonia, to Tahiti for free. Football was letting me travel.

“At the end of the season, we still hired the van and goofed around New Zealand where you work for people in return for accommodation.

“We were in a hippy community in the bush and we were gardening, cleaning, chopping wood, making buildings. We were also packing kiwi fruits – you soon get sick of them.

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Riera went on to earn a contract at Auckland City[/caption]

“We’d work night shifts for 10 hours per night just to save more money to travel again.

“The idea was six months in New Zealand and six months travelling back to Spain via Asia – Tibet and places like that.”

Having doubted that he’d even be good enough to make Auckland’s squad, Riera found himself being offered an opportunity to stay for the following season.

“The money he was offering was not enough to live on,” he admitted. “But I’ve always been prepared to take a risk. People told me that I was crazy giving up a proper job to play semi-professional football, yet it wasn’t ordinary.

“We’d be playing in the Club World Cup in Japan, for instance.

“I could keep travelling, play more Champions League and ended up playing three years at Auckland City from the age of 28.”

Having thrived for part-timers Auckland, Riera was incredibly handed the opportunity to turn professional aged 29.

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The Spaniard turned professional with Wellington Phoenix aged 29[/caption]
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AFP
The midfielder played against Juventus in the 2014 A-League All-Star Game[/caption]

‘I THOUGHT IT WOULD GO NOWHERE’

He revealed: “My intention was to go back to Spain, but in one pre-season we played against Wellington Phoenix, one of the two professional teams in New Zealand.

“Their coach, a Scot called Ernie Merrick, asked me to come on trial for one week. Again, I thought it would go nowhere, I’d never played professional football.

“But on the first day after only one session Ernie said they wanted to offer me a one-year deal. To be honest, I felt fine at the level that day.”

During his time in the A-League he was called up to their All-Star team, which enabled him the opportunity to play against Juventus – swapping shirts with legendary Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo.

Who are these famous footballers?

Following three years with Wellington, Riera decided that the brutal travel schedule had become too much for him – and opted to rejoin Auckland.

After hanging up his boots in 2021, by this point a New Zealand citizen, Riera became manager of Auckland.

Having won three OFC Champions Leagues as a player, he has since added two more as a coach.

This week he has taken his side to Abu Dhabi, where they will face Asian champions Al-Ain in the first round of the Club World Cup on Sunday.

The match will see him pit his managerial wits against former Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo, who has been coaching the Emirati side for just under a year.

Last year they fell 3-0 at this stage to Saudi outfit Al-Ittihad, who boasted the likes of Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and Fabinho among their ranks.

On this year’s task, Riera said: “We’re realistic, but I’ll tell my players to compete as well as we can.

“I remember Crespo as a player, one of the great Argentina strikers. He was a busy No9 running behind all the time, full of energy. I’m happy for my team to be playing his.”

On the dreams that could lie ahead, Riera said: “It’s way harder now, but we’re only three games away from playing Real Madrid to become world champions. You never know in football!”

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Riera will take on former Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo this weekend[/caption]

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Who is Gemma Bird aka Money Mum?

GEMMA Bird aka Money Mum can proudly say she is “debt free at 42”.

The thrifty mother-of-two has made a career out of her money saving tips and is now a popular influencer.

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The Sun
Gemma Bird aka Money Mum is a money saving expert[/caption]
three women sit on a couch in front of a screen that says saver squad
Gemma is part of Lorraine’s Saver Squad
ITV

Born on August 3, 1981, Gemma Bird is a money Influencer, columnist and best-selling author.

After pulling herself out of debt, she used her cash saving hacks to build herself a career and at the same time help others.

After initially working as an estate agent, she realised she had a gift when it came to making the most of her money and became an influencer.

In 2019, she sent up her Instagram page @Moneymumofficial to share her money-making and saving tips.

Gemma revealed how it took a year of posting daily on the handle – which now boasts over 450K followers – to become a success.

In 2020, she started her “Gemma’s No Spend Days” on social media, which massively took off. 

Following this success she got a book deal, and her Sunday Times bestseller, Money Mum Official: Save Yourself Happy, came out in January 2022.

Shortly after this Gemma was snapped up by ITV‘s Lorraine, where she regularly dishes out her money saving tips

Making money

Now that Gemma is debt free herself she decided to do social media as a full-time career.

Thanks to this, she was able to pay off her mortgage by the age of 42.

She also makes her money through sales of her book.

Gemma is also a popular columnist for The Sun, where readers flock to get her top tips on how they save the pennies.

Speaking about her knack for money, she told The Sun: “I’ve always been financially savvy, largely thanks to my parents Jayne who was a stay-at-home mum when I was growing up in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, and Steve who worked in the bus industry.

“When I was 16-18, they used to give me £50 a month pocket money and once it was gone, that was it.

“It got me into a great mindset and also made me determined to be independent and earn my own money. 

Although we are financially secure and have no mortgage, I’m determined to follow in my parents’ footsteps and teach my children the value of money.

Gemma Bird

“Aged 14, I got paid for picking mushrooms before school, and by 18 I was working full-time as an estate agent.

“I saved 80% of my salary every month while living at home with my parents, and the rest I’d spend.”

a family standing next to a mickey mouse suitcase
Instagram
Gemma with husband Adam and their two children[/caption]

Happy family

Gemma met her second husband Adam on a dating app in 2011, just before she turned 30.

A month after meeting him, they had moved into together, and a year later their son Brody was born.

In 2014 they got married, and five years later, their daughter Bronte, came along.

Speaking about her husband she told The Sun: “Our marriage works because Adam, a stay-at-home dad, and I share the same core values, including being good with money.

“Although we are financially secure and have no mortgage, I’m determined to follow in my parents’ footsteps and teach my children the value of money.”

Gemma also revealed that she is teaching her children about the value of money.

She said: “Brody gets £2 a week, and if he spends it, he doesn’t get more.

“Recently, he went to the newsagent and bought a bottle of Prime.

“After, he was stressed about having spent his allowance, which was a valuable lesson. 

“As a society, we need to talk more openly and honestly about money – we need to understand it.

  

Gemma’s top five money-saving tips

1. Move the odd amount every day into a savings account. So, if you have £203 in your current account, transfer the £3.

2. When shopping online, add everything to your basket but don’t buy it. Come back two days later – you’ll find you remove things you don’t actually want or need. 

3. To save around £300 a year on your energy bills, boil your kettle once a day. Fill it up using six cups of water, boil, then pour into a Thermos. You then have water to use throughout the day instead of boiling multiple times. 

4. Make money on your old clothes in minutes by taking a bag of any size clothing into an H&M store. Simply hand it over and they will recycle the items and give you a £5 voucher to use in store. You need to download the app, which is free, and you build points to get money off. 

5. The heavier your car, the more fuel it will use, so take off the roof rack and unload the boot. Google petrol prices in your area, and arrange to do your trip to the cheapest garage when you are driving nearby, so that you won’t be wasting fuel in order to refuel.

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