GUNNERS PAY TRIBUTE AS BELOVED ARSENAL LEGEND SADLY PASSES AWAY.
Arsenal FC is mourning the death of former defender Willie Young, who has died aged 73. The Scottish cult hero made 236 appearances for the Gunners and was a key part of their 1979 FA Cup-winning team. The club has released a heartfelt statement.
Arsenal icon Willie Young dies - COURTESY/PHOTO
Sadly, Willie Young died at the age of 73. Arsenal has paid its respects to him. The Gunners released a heartfelt statement on Friday night to deliver the devastating news.
"We are heartbroken to learn of the demise of former player Willie Young," the club said in an official statement on X. A cult icon at Highbury, the Scottish defender made 236 matches and won the FA Cup in 1979.
"During this trying moment, our thoughts are with his family and loved ones. Willie, rest in peace.
Before moving to England in 1975, Young began his career in 1969 at Aberdeen. After joining Tottenham Hotspur, the defender made 59 appearances and scored four goals.
After that, he moved to Arsenal, where he made 236 appearances while contributing five assists and 18 goals. Before hanging up his boots in 1984, the Scotsman also had stints at Darlington, Brighton, Norwich, and Nottingham Forest, according to the Mirror.
In 1977, he transferred to Arsenal, where he made 236 appearances, with five assists and 18 goals. The Scotsman's time in north London came to an end in 1981 when Nottingham Forest paid £175,000 for him.
Before retiring in 1984, Young also enjoyed periods at Darlington, Brighton, and Norwich. After settling in the Nottingham region, he and his spouse, Lynda, operated a pub and had a family.
Young begged the Highbury faithful for forgiveness when he joined the Gunners. He stated: "I got sent off against them after scoring my sole First Division goal for Spurs this season," according to the club website. Arsenal is being insulted twice by that.
"But now that I have come over, I hope the fans will forgive me, because I know the players have."
"Terry [Neill] has asked me to do a specific task for him, that is to stay in the middle and stop the goals going in," Young continued after joining Arsenal.
The news has devastated Arsenal fans, who have taken to social media to show their condolences for Young. The user @Harry_Symeou16 wrote: "RIP [emoji of prayer hands]." When I was growing up, my dad would constantly remind me about Willie Young. Sad news.
"Very sad news, sympathies to his family," @stevebone1 wrote. When I first visited Fratton Park in 1981 for a Pompey-Arsenal friendly, Willie was with the Arsenal team.
RAYMOND MURATALLA - ANDY CRUZ FIGHT OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED FOR JANUARY 24 IN LAS VEGAS
Raymond Muratalla will defend his IBF lightweight title against unbeaten mandatory challenger Andy Cruz on January 24 at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas. Matchroom Boxing won the promotional rights.
Fireworks ahead! Muratalla-Cruz showdown set for January 24 Vegas - Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
According to reports, Raymond Muratalla and Andy Cruz have a confirmed date and venue for their title fight.
The former two-time Olympic gold medallist Cruz will defend against IBF lightweight champion Muratalla on January 24 at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas.
The news was initially reported by BoxingScene.com.
Top Rank, Muratalla's handler, placed the sole other bid, but Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing, Cruz's promoter, outbid them for the right to hold the fight. Top Rank bid $550,000, Matchroom bid $888,888.
Muratalla will get 65% of the winning price, or $577,777.20. Cruz is going to receive $311,110.80.
The 28-year-old Muratalla (23-0, 17 KOs) will be defending his 135-pound title for the first time. On May 10, he defeated Zaur Abdullaev to win the interim edition of that title. Since Vasiliy Lomachenko abruptly retired, he has been promoted to full champion.
Cruz (6-0, 3 KOs) became the mandatory challenger for that title after thrashing Hironori Mishiro in Madison Square Garden in New York on June 14 and stopping him in the fifth round.
“I’M GOOD SOLO” KEVIN DURANT EXPLAINS WHY HE’LL NEVER MARRY
NBA star Kevin Durant admits he doesn't expect to ever get married, citing low odds and doubting he could be with one person forever. The Houston Rockets forward called off his own engagement back in 2014.
Durant’s plan, no wedding band—NBA star takes stand - Troy Taormina-Imagn Images/ File Photo
After questioning if he could spend the rest of his life with one spouse, NBA veteran Kevin Durant says he does not anticipate ever getting married.
When Durant, 37, proposed to his then-girlfriend in 2013, he called it quits a year later because he "did not know how to love her the right way." Durant was previously engaged to former WNBA player Monica Wright.
Despite being romantically involved with other high-profile women before his breakup with Wright, such as actress Apryl Jones and women's basketball player Liz Cambage, the Houston Rockets forward is still unmarried more than ten years later.
Additionally, Durant stated in an interview with influencer Bobbi Althoff that he "does not know" if he could stay married to just one person indefinitely.
"I believe divorce is more realistic because the divorce rate is greater," he remarked.
"That is not good odds to me," Durant said in response to Althoff's assertion that the likelihood of a divorce is always 50/50. But you are betting on that being 50/50, and that is betting on forever? I am not sure if I want to risk it.
After calling off an engagement, Kevin Durant acknowledges that he does not anticipate getting married in eleven years.
According to the NBA veteran, he does not believe he could spend the rest of his life with just one spouse.
He went on to say, "It is like the word marriage... like what the bond is." For example, do I want to hang out with the same person every day and be with this person every day?
"I had never actually imagined my wedding day." I think, "Oh, this is cool, oh, it is dope," whenever I attend a wedding. It is not as if I have to imagine it. Still, it is a cool occasion.
Durant emphasised that he is not currently looking for a committed relationship, even if he acknowledged that he once believed he was close to marriage.
That being said, he is not entirely ruling out future wedding bells.
According to the two-time NBA champion, "I am sure that it may happen." "All I am saying is that I am not anticipating it, but I am not closing the door on anything."
Durant responded, "Just somebody I can hang out with daily, somebody I can talk to that is cool, you know the basics, somebody I can genuinely be friends with," when asked what qualities he would look for in a partner. and not consider it to be a girlfriend-boyfriend situation.
Instead of us simply being friends by nature, there is a cloud associated with that label and expectation. I prefer to have no expectations because I might not always want to meet or speak with you.