Huddersfield secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Sunderland at the John Smith’s Stadium, pulling them five points clear of the Championship relegation zone.
Matty Pearson’s first-half goal proved to be the difference between the two sides.
After a 5-3 defeat to Southampton, Huddersfield showed determination in front of goal. Pearson capitalized on a set-piece opportunity, bundling the ball home from close range after Anthony Patterson could only parry Jack Rudoni’s free-kick.
Despite Sunderland’s efforts to find an equalizer, Huddersfield’s defense held firm. Lee Nicholls made some crucial saves, including a magnificent stop to deny Trai Hume in the dying moments of the game.
The win extends Huddersfield’s unbeaten run at home this year and provides a much-needed boost as they continue their fight against relegation.
Hull secured a 1-0 victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, earning their first win of the year and climbing into the Sky Bet Championship play-off places.
Fabio Carvalho scored the decisive goal in the second half, volleying home from the edge of the area with 19 minutes remaining. The shot took a deflection off Trai Hume, contributing to Sunderland’s defeat.
Sunderland’s head coach, Michael Beale, faced jeers from the home supporters in the closing stages, with the team experiencing three consecutive defeats in all competitions.
Despite restoring striker Nazariy Rusyn to the starting lineup, Sunderland struggled to create chances against a well-organized Hull side.
Hull’s right-back, Lewis Coyle, was a notable threat with overlapping runs down the right, and he almost broke the deadlock in the first half. However, the game remained scrappy, with Hull picking up five yellow cards and both teams struggling to generate a rhythm.
Sunderland had a chance on the hour mark when Trai Hume’s long-range effort was tipped over the crossbar by Hull goalkeeper Ryan Allsop.
The decisive goal for Hull came in the 71st minute, with Carvalho’s first-time volley deflecting off Hume’s head and beating Sunderland’s goalkeeper Anthony Patterson.
The victory for Hull elevated them into the play-off places in the Championship, while Sunderland faced disappointment with their third consecutive defeat under Michael Beale.
Sunderland has named Michael Beale as their new head coach, securing his services until the summer of 2026.
The appointment follows the departure of Tony Mowbray earlier this month, and the Black Cats express confidence in Beale’s ability to guide them back to the Premier League.
Beale, who left the Gers two months ago, said: “It’s a huge honour to be joining the Sunderland family.
“The existing coaching team deserve huge credit for the way they navigated the interim period.
“Like all of the staff at the club, they will continue to be vitally important moving forward alongside the incredible fans that make SAFC such a unique club.
“It’s clear there is some excellent work being done at senior and academy level and I’m excited to support those efforts and implement my own ideas as we build on the strong identity already established within the club.”
🤝 Sunderland AFC is delighted to announce the appointment of Michael Beale as the Club’s new Head Coach.
Sunderland’s recent struggles under Tony Mowbray led to his departure, despite guiding the team to the playoffs last season. The standout performances of Jobe Bellingham and interim coach Mike Dodds have kept their promotion hopes alive.
Currently seventh in the Championship table, Sunderland is gearing up for their upcoming game against Coventry at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.
Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman expressed delight in securing Michael Beale as the new head coach, citing the club’s long-term monitoring of his career.
“He has an excellent and well-founded reputation for developing players and he is an outstanding progressive coach aligned with our playing identity and naturally fits within our structure alongside Mike and the wider team.
“We continue to trust in our established process of identifying the right candidates to take us forward at these junctures and although Michael has had a setback, we feel we are getting him at the right time in his coaching journey and our journey as a club.”
Michael Beale, with prior Championship experience, garnered praise during his tenure as QPR boss from June to November 2022.
Subsequently, he assumed the managerial role at Ibrox. However, his stint in Scotland proved less successful, marked by a lack of trophy wins with Rangers, leading to his dismissal after only 10 months in charge.
Sunderland AFC is thrilled to announce the successful agreement with Zorya Luhansk for the transfer of Nazariy Rusyn, with the transfer fee remaining undisclosed.
The talented striker has already completed a medical assessment in Paris and has inked a four-year contract at the esteemed Stadium of Light. Furthermore, the club holds the option to extend the contract for an additional year, pending international clearance.
Rusyn, 24 years old, boasts an impressive track record, having netted 21 goals and provided 10 assists in 49 appearances for Luhansk. Additionally, he contributed significantly with nine goals and three assists in 41 senior appearances for his former club, Dynamo Kyiv.
As a testament to his talent, Rusyn has represented Ukraine at the Under-21 level, where he scored six goals in just 10 appearances. Furthermore, his remarkable skills earned him a call-up to the senior national team in May 2023.
Once international clearance is finalized, Rusyn will make his way to Wearside and join his new teammates at Sunderland AFC.
Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman said: “Nazariy is a player that we’ve been tracking for some time and following a complex process that has unfolded throughout the summer, we are delighted to have concluded an agreement to bring him to the Club. He’s a dynamic and intelligent forward, who likes to exploit space, and he has consistently impacted a senior environment by contributing goals and assists.
“We look forward to supporting Nazariy as he adapts to life in a new environment, and we are excited to welcome him to the Stadium of Light.”
A man who caught a baby seagull and masturbated over it while viewing porn in an alleyway was imprisoned.
The perplexing assault was carried out by David Lee in Sunderland in August of last year, in what the judge called “one of the most unusual cases” he had ever seen.
After pleading guilty to causing needless suffering to a protected animal, the 40-year-old was today given a 24-week term and a 10-year ban from keeping animals.
Lee was apprehended after a neighbourhood resident gave the police CCTV evidence showing him pursuing the bird at around one in the morning.
Prosecutor Lesley Burgess told South Tyneside Magistrates Court what happened in the video once the defendant had gotten hold of the seagull.
She said: ‘The defendant takes his phone out of his pocket. He thereafter takes down his trousers.
‘He then goes down – it’s very clear he is masturbating at the time. He then goes on to move the gull to between his legs.
‘For a time the defendant is engaging in a sexual act with the baby seagull. The defendant then stands back up.’
She added that Lee then picked up his phone and gave the bird a ‘little kick’ before walking off in the other direction.
The court also heard that police discovered Lee had been watching porn which involved animals when they searched his phone. The prosecution argued this would have distressed the seagull even more.
The woman who first reported the footage to the police told how she had been affected after having to watch Lee’s attack on the bird.
She said: ‘For almost a year the actions of this person have caused me a lot of mental stress and anxiety. I am unable to get the horrendous actions out of my head. I was haunted by what he did.
‘I sincerely hope the sentence gives justice to the bird he defiled. I hope it serves as a deterrent to anyone else who thinks animal abuse is acceptable.’
Lee had initially tried to claim that he was attempting to help an injured bird, using his phone to ‘locate a local vet’, but ended up pleading guilty before trial.
His defence lawyer, Annalise Moscardini, highlighted this plea and said it was ‘clearly an unusual offence’.
She said: ‘I would assess that as Mr Lee being unable to understand why he did what he did. There was a genuine disbelief about it.
‘There’s a part of time he doesn’t recall. He doesn’t remember a part of time due to drink. There’s certainly heavy alcohol use. There is not any attempt to cause it any harm.’
Ms Moscardini went on to explain that Lee suffers from a personality disorder, a detachment from reality and pathological lying.
The court was also told how Lee, of Roker Avenue, Sunderland, had served a prison sentence in 2020 for possession of a bladed article, for which he has another previous conviction for.
Chair of the bench Angela Thompson said: ‘We find this offence is a deliberate attempt to cause suffering and a high level of suffering was caused to the young bird.
‘We have considered the psychological reports and the mitigation from your solicitor.’
A paedophile who killed a seven-year-old child during a sex attack and eluded justice for more than 30 years has been sentenced to life in prison.
When David Boyd, now 55, was ultimately found guilty of killing Nikki Allan at Newcastle Crown Court earlier this month, her family embraced one another in tears.
In October 1992, he lured the schoolgirl to her gruesome death only yards from their shared home in Sunderland’s East End.
Heart-breaking CCTV of her last moments alive showed Nikki skipping behind Boyd, who lived in the same block of flats and was known to the family as her babysitter’s boyfriend.
The judge, Mrs Justice Lambert, jailed Boyd for life with a minimum term of 29 years on Tuesday.
She said: ‘The murder of Nikki Allan involved the cynical manipulation of a young seven-year-old girl who you lured away from her home late at night for the purpose of sexually assaulting her.’
Referring to the sounds of screams heard by neighbours that night, she added: ‘From the moment of her letting out those screams Nikki’s fate was sealed.
‘You decided to kill her to silence her and to prevent her from telling anyone that you had sexually assaulted her, or had attempted to do so.’
Boyd pushed her into the Old Exchange Building after striking her across the face and the judge said: ‘She must have quickly known she was trapped. She must have quickly known you were coming after her to hurt her.
‘It was cold and dark. It must have been a truly terrifying experience for this seven-year-old girl.’
Outside court, Nikki’s mother Sharon Henderson said she was disappointed with the minimum term, adding that she had only been told today that Boyd would be dealt with under the sentencing regime of the early 1990s, when minimum terms were usually shorter.
She told reporters: ‘I would have been satisfied with life (a whole life term).
‘This is a seven-year-old bairn. When is anyone going to take crimes like this seriously?
‘This is what happens to families like mine over and over again – injustice.’
Nikki was hit over the head with a brick and stabbed 37 times in the chest, with eight of the wounds penetrating her heart, before her body was dragged by the ankles down to the basement.
Boyd, also known as Bell or Smith, watched another man stand trial for Nikki’s murder a year later, although he was later cleared.
Last week, Northumbria Police formally apologised to Nikki’s family and George Heron, who was forced to leave the area in order to start a new life after being wrongly charged.
He said in a statement: ‘It is really difficult to put in words what I have felt since 1992 – going from trying to look out for my family to having my life flipped upside down.
‘Nikki Allan’s murder destroyed so many people’s lives – I am just one of those people. I could be angry about being unfairly treated from day one, but this isn’t about me – it is about getting the real truth out into the open, so her family, and what is left of mine, can have some closure and finally try to move on.
‘I hope that people don’t blame the present officers for the mistakes that were made in 1992/1993 – it is not their fault. It was probably as difficult for them reopening the case and they should be given credit for the work they have done trying to get it solved.’
In a victim impact statement, Mrs Henderson said: ‘Nikki was a bright and sparkly child who was always a mammy’s girl. She had a beautiful smile and was loved.
‘I cannot put into words how I felt when I heard Nikki was missing and was ultimately found murdered.’
She recalled the ‘horror’ of watching the man she was convinced had killed her daughter go free.
Mrs Henderson said: ‘I’m 57 and I’ve spent more than 30 years fighting for justice. My life and that of my family has never been the same since Nikki was murdered.
‘By murdering Nikki, David Boyd destroyed the life of my beautiful daughter, my life and the lives of my daughters and grandchildren. We have not been able to live normal lives since that day.’
Boyd continued with his life and went on to indecently assault a nine-year-old girl after approaching a group of youngsters in a Teesside park in 1999.
For that offence he was jailed for 18 months.
Tellingly, he would confess to a probation officer how he had previously had sexual fantasies about naked ‘young girls’ when he was in his early 20s. He was 25 when he murdered Nikki.
The judge said: ‘As the years passed by and you got on with your life, you must have thought often about Nikki’s murder.
‘You must have thought – no doubt with some satisfaction and some relief – that you’d got away with it.
‘However, the science of DNA analysis was advancing.’
In 2018, those advances allowed police to re-examine Nikki’s case and extract samples from her clothing, that Boyd was first arrested on suspicion of murder.
After initial denials, one of the first comments topless Boyd made after answering the door to detectives was: ‘What evidence have you got?’
He later wore a t-shirt saying ‘I am unstoppable’ during one of his interviews.
Richard Wright KC, prosecuting, told jurors Nikki had been out with friends on the evening of October 7, 1992, and a woman told police she saw a little girl wandering with a man now known to be Boyd.
He said: ‘The little girl would occasionally drop behind and would then skip to catch up. This was Nikki Allan. She was with her killer and she was unwittingly skipping to her death.’
Locals told police they heard piercing screams that night.
The tight-knit community helped officers carry out an overnight search when it was realised the schoolgirl was missing.
Nikki’s shoes and coat were found outside the dockside warehouse the next morning – with her body found in the basement.
Her blood was discovered outside the only entry point, a boarded-up window about six feet off the ground.
Investigators believe Boyd must have hit Nikki outside the building, then lifted her inside and carried out his monstrous attack, during which he left traces of DNA on her clothes.
Assistant Chief Constable Brad Howe said after the conviction: ‘David Boyd hid his crime, lying about his involvement and prolonging the family’s suffering, knowing all along that he had taken the life of their little girl.
‘The investigation into Nikki’s murder has been one of the most complex and comprehensive ever conducted by Northumbria Police.
‘I’m extremely proud of the investigative team and all those who played their part in securing this conviction. I further hope this sends a strong message that no matter how long ago an offence took place, we will do everything we can to see justice served.’
A “wicked” school business manager who stole more than £119,000 and hurt children’s education was allowed to remain on the lam.
Joanne Anderson forged the signatures of senior staff on checks over the course of four years in order to redirect funds from Fulwell Junior School in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, into her own account.
As audits were being conducted in May 2021 and she requested to visit the headteacher outside of the school, Newcastle Crown Court heard that her lie was discovered.
She made a partial confession to the head during the meeting, which led to further investigations, police involvement and the true extent of her ‘greed’ was eventually revealed.
Ms Anderson was handed a two-year suspended sentence at Newcastle Crown Court
Prosecutor John Hobley told the court: ‘She admitted having forged signatures on the cheques, embezzling money due to her financial difficulties.
‘She seemed surprised to know how many and the value of the cheques she had paid to herself.’
Anderson said she used the school money for her own living expenses and to hide the debts she had from her husband.
The 51-year-old, of Summerhill, Sunderland, admitted fraud by false representation of £119,496 between March 2017 and June 2021.
Mr Recorder Anthony Kelbrick told her: ‘There is no doubt that your actions, over a long, long time, putting it simply, were wicked.
‘You betrayed the trust placed in you by your employer and you betrayed the trust placed in you by your colleagues, you cynically used their names and details and forged their signatures on cheques, which you made payable to yourself.
‘Your taking of this money, your dishonesty, must have significantly reduced the educational benefits that the pupils attending the school were entitled to.
Ms Anderson stole the money to fund her lifestyle and pay off debts
‘It was they, the children, perhaps, who were the principal losers, the victims of your greed.
‘You callously forged documents to hide discrepancies from the auditors.
‘I accept now you are genuinely remorseful but that may, of course, be because of where you now find yourself.’
The judge said despite the seriousness of the offence, he was persuaded that Anderson was capable of rehabilitation and sentenced her to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation requirements and a four month curfew.
Laura Miller, defending, told the court: ‘She makes absolutely no excuses for her behaviour.
‘She can’t begin to explain the guilt and shame she feels.
‘She accepts the school and children did not deserve to suffer from her actions.’
Miss Miller said after Anderson wrote the first dishonest cheque in 2017, she was then in a ‘vicious cycle of dishonesty’ and added: ‘Her life, in effect, spiralled out of control, where she was trying to maintain the facade of normality.
‘She has never been in trouble with the police before, never been spoken to by the police before.’
Miss Miller said Anderson, who is a carer for her mother, has sought help with debt and sought counselling.
Anderson provided references to her positive good character and submitted a document written herself, in which she said: ‘I am disgusted with myself.’
She added that she ‘apologised unreservedly’ for her actions and the impact they had on others, including colleagues.
Ellis Simms slotted home a stoppage-time winner as Sunderland claimed a dramatic 2-1 win over Blackburn at the Stadium of Light.
Simms left the bench in the closing stages of the game to make a decisive intervention as he found the net following a square ball from Dan Ballard.
His composed finish settled things after Ross Stewart had scored a goal at either end.
Promotion hopefuls Blackburn would have been hopeful of another victory when Stewart’s deflected header found his own net in the 18th minute, but the Sunderland striker was celebrating at the other end just four minutes later as he converted a penalty to level the scores.
Stewart was returning to the starting line-up for the first time since suffering a thigh injury in early September, having made a goalscoring intervention from the substitutes’ bench in the previous weekend’s draw at Hull.
The Scotsman was at the heart of both of the key moments during the first half, scoring at either end as the scores were level at the interval.
Blackburn’s opener came in the 18th minute, with Tyler Morton’s in-swinging free-kick causing panic within the Sunderland defence.
Stewart tried to clear with a stooping header, but instead of getting the ball away from danger, the Black Cats striker found his own net via a deflection of a combination of Dennis Cirkin and Daniel Ayala.
It was harsh on Sunderland’s leading scorer, but he made amends four minutes later as he won and successfully dispatched a spot-kick.
Patrick Roberts’ failure to control a bouncing pass in the area saw the ball bounce into Stewart’s path and, as he shaped to shoot, the striker was sent tumbling by John Buckley’s awkward challenged.
Stewart stepped up, and claimed his seventh goal of the season, an impressive return given that he was sidelined for the best part of three months.
The first half was a helter-skelter affair, with neither side able to exert any real control, although Sunderland were generally the more threatening team with the hosts going close again on the stroke of half-time.
The ball broke to Roberts on the edge of the area after Jack Clarke’s mazy run was halted, but the forward dragged a low effort wide of the right-hand post.
Sunderland were forced into a change at the start of the second half, with Trai Hume replacing the injured Cirkin, and the substitute full-back immediately went close with a strike from the left of the box that Blackburn goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski clawed away.
Kaminski made routine saves from both Stewart and Amad Diallo to ensure the scores remained level, with Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson producing an important stop at the other end with 18 minutes remaining as he kept out Morton’s low shot.
Simms’ winner came in the first minute of stoppage time, with the Everton loanee prodding home with the outside of his boot after Ballard squared the ball into his path.
As we all face soaring prices, BBC News is talking to people across the UK about how they are coping with the financial pressures and providing support and advice on saving money from our experts.
Today we’re reporting from Sunderland in north-east England. Unemployment levels are higher here compared to the rest of the UK and workers earn less than people in other parts of the country.
We’ll be hearing from households, businesses and families about how the rise in living costs is affecting them.
You’ll be able to follow this across the BBC – whether that’s here on the website, on BBC Breakfast and the News Channel, or on Radio 5 Live and Radio 1’s Newsbeat.
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James McClean was subjected to abusive chants during Wigan’s 2-1 defeat at his former club Sunderland on Saturday
Wigan’s James McClean has criticised the FA and EFL for a lack of action over the sectarian abuse aimed at him.
The midfielder, 33, took to social media to highlight chants directed at him during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Sunderland in the Championship.
Republic of Ireland international McClean said he had been subjected to abusive songs for 10 years.
“I would be lying if I was to say I expect anything to done about this by the FA or EFL,” he said.
McClean’s Instagram post included a video from the Stadium of Light in which loud booing and chants can be heard as he took a corner against his former club.
He has been targeted since 2012 when he first declined to have a poppy embroidered on his Sunderland shirt out of support for his home city of Derry, the scene of the Bloody Sunday shootings in 1972.
Thirteen people were killed when British soldiers shot civilian protestors in the city. A 14th person died later.
McClean has also said he is upset about the impact the abuse has on his wife and three young children, who either watch on television or in the stands.
In 2020, McClean was fined two weeks’ wages by Stoke City for an inappropriate Instagram post in which he was pictured wearing a balaclava in front of two children, with the caption “Today’s school lesson – History” along with a laughing emoji.
He later apologised and agreed to delete his Instagram account.
In response to McClean’s comments over the incident at Sunderland, an FA spokesperson said: “We strongly condemn all forms of discriminatory and offensive chanting.
“Any participants or fans who believe that they have been subject of, or are witness to, discrimination are encouraged to report it through the correct channels: The FA, the relevant club or via our partners at Kick It Out.
“The FA looks into any alleged discriminatory language or behaviour that is reported to us, and we work closely with the clubs and relevant authorities to ensure appropriate action is taken.”
The BBC has contacted the EFL and is awaiting a response.
There are no less than 10 Championship games taking place on Saturday, all with a kick-off time of 3pm, including Millwall’s trip to Ewood Park to take on Blackburn.
Blackburn vs Millwall (Saturday, 3pm)
Seventh place entertains 13th on Saturday at Ewood Park and it could be safe to assume there will be a winner with Blackburn and Millwall registering just one draw between them this season.
The stats
Jon Dahl Tomasson’s appointment as Blackburn boss in the summer was an intriguing one, given the fact he has had limited managerial experience, but he has made a decent start to life in Lancashire.
The 46-year-old Dane has guided Rovers to seventh in the table — only outside of the play-off positions on goal difference — and his side have been entertaining to watch with 11 goals scored and 13 conceded.
Blackburn have secured home victories over QPR, West Brom and Watford this season, while also suffering defeats at Ewood Park to Stoke and Bristol City, but the more expansive style of football under Tomasson appears to be winning over the supporters.
Millwall are only two points behind Rovers in the table and they have been just as entertaining to watch as Saturday’s opponents, with 11 goals scored and 14 conceded from their 10 league games.
Gary Rowett’s side have been impressive at home — winning four of their six matches— but their away issues are clear to see with the Lions failing to win in their five road assignments across all competitions.
Prediction
Millwall’s away form is becoming a real issue for them, having taken just one point from a possible 12 in the league this season, and they may find it difficult to come away from Ewood Park with a positive result.
Blackburn have been a strong force at home, with those defeats to Stoke and Bristol City only via a one-goal margin, and Tomasson’s men look like they will be able to chalk up another three points on Saturday.
Bristol City vs QPR (Saturday, 3pm)
Two other teams with play-off aspirations go head to head at Ashton Gate with just a point separating QPR and their hosts, Bristol City, in the early Championship standings.
The stats
It has been an entertaining start to the campaign for Bristol City, who have scored a joint league-high 19 goals but have also conceded 16 times — only Hull (21) have a worse defensive record.
Nigel Pearson’s troops have lost their last two games, both away from home to Norwich and Burnley, but the Robins have racked up three consecutive 2-0 victories at Ashton Gate.
Saturday’s visitors QPR occupy the final play-off position heading into this weekend and they have only lost one of their last six matches — that one blip a 1-0 defeat at Swansea at the start of September.
The R’s have triumphed in two of their last three away assignments, beating Watford 3-2 and Millwall 2-0 either side of that loss to the Swans, and Ashton Gate could be set for a goal-fest on Saturday.
Prediction
The Robins’ defence has let them down in recent outings, with seven goals conceded in their last three games, but they have scored in every league game this season and they should extend that record on home soil.
QPR have also looked sharp in attack and they have only failed to score in one of their last five away matches across all competitions.
With two attacking sides going at it in Bristol, both teams to score looks to be very much on the cards.
Sunderland vs Preston (Saturday, 3pm)
Sunderland are riding high in fifth after 10 games on their return to the Championship and they host Preston on Saturday, with the goal-shy visitors down in 15th place in the table.
The stats
Tony Mowbray has lost just one of his first four matches as Sunderland boss
Sunderland have already had to deal with adversity on their return to the second tier following the departure of manager Alex Neil to Stoke.
Tony Mowbray is now the man in charge of the Black Cats and he has made a decent start to his tenure — winning two, drawing one and losing one of his four matches.
Preston’s season has been anything but exciting to date and they have only managed to score three goals from their 10 matches — the joint-lowest total in England’s top three leagues.
North End have been solid at the back, as their record of four goals conceded is bettered by no side in the top four divisions in England, but their lack of potency has resulted in six draws from 10 league outings.
Prediction
Sunderland have only suffered one loss at the Stadium of Light all season, with that coming under former boss Neil, and they should be confident of chalking up another victory.
Preston have just one win from their last eight matches across all competitions — that coming against rock-bottom Coventry — and the lack of confidence in front of goal could see them returning home with nothing to show for their efforts on Saturday.
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