News, Facts & Trivia Archive 1912

Michal Probierz has resigned as Poland manager in the wake of Robert Lewandowski saying he would not play for the country under him.

Lewandowski, who is Poland's record goalscorer with 85 goals in 158 appearances, quit his national team on Sunday after Probierz replaced him as captain with Piotr Zielinski.

Probierz's decision to resign also follows Poland suffering a 2-1 loss in Finland in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

The defeat left Poland third in their group on six points after three games, with the Netherlands second on six points after two games and Finland top on seven points having played four games.

"I have come to the conclusion that in the current situation the best decision for the good of the national team will be my resignation from the position of coach," Probierz said in a statement., external

"Performing this function was the fulfilment of my professional dreams and the greatest honour in my life."

Probierz, 52, took over as coach in September 2023 but his side finished bottom of their group at Euro 2024 and were the first country to be knocked out of the tournament.

In his 21 matches in charge he won nine, drew five and lost seven.

He added: "Thank you, of course, to all the footballers I have had the pleasure of meeting along the way.

"I will keep my fingers crossed for all of you, because the national team is our common national asset."

Struggling budget chain Poundland has been sold for £1 and now faces a shake-up which could see up to 100 stores close, the BBC understands.

Its owner Polish firm Pepco confirmed it had sold the brand for a "nominal" sum to US investment firm Gordon Brothers.

Poundland has 825 UK stores and around 16,000 staff and was struggling to compete with other discount stores, with sales down this January and February.

Following the sale a proposed restructure will be put to the High Court in England, Pepco said.

It comes after Pepco warned that increased employer National Insurance contributions which kicked in in April would put added pressure on the chain.

Pepco Group has owned Poundland since 2016, but the firm had to auction the brand off after sales slumped over the past year.

Gordon Brothers is a global investment firm which formerly owned fashion label Laura Ashley.

Following its sale the business will continue to be led by Barry Williams, currently managing director of Poundland, it said.

The business will continue to operate under the Poundland brand in the United Kingdom and under the Dealz brand in the Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland, it added.

"We want to sincerely thank all the Poundland team for their ongoing commitment and contribution to the group and wish Barry Williams and his team all the best for the future," said Pepco chief executive Stephan Borchert.

In March, Pepco said Poundland was "operating in an increasingly challenging UK retail landscape that is only intensifying".

"Pepco Group expects to obtain a minority investment interest in Poundland", Pepco wrote in a release.

Gordon Brothers is investing a total of £80m in Poundland which includes an existing secured loan of £30m and a further £30m overdraft.

Mark Newton-Jones, head of Gordon Brothers' Europe group said it was "delighted" to provide financing for "the substantial turnaround of this iconic retailer".

He added: "We believe Poundland is an essential retailer serving UK consumers and plays an important role on the High Street."

He said the group would "ensure we continue providing exceptional value to budget-conscious consumers in the UK."

Tottenham have appointed Brentford boss Thomas Frank as their head coach on a deal until 2028.

The 51-year-old Dane replaces Ange Postecoglou, who was sacked earlier this month despite leading Spurs to victory in the Europa League final in May.

Frank spent seven years in charge of Brentford, guiding the club from the Championship to the Premier League in 2021.

He is Tottenham's fourth permanent manager since June 2021.

Spurs finished 17th in the top flight last season, losing 22 of their 38 matches and finishing seven places and 18 points below Brentford.

However, they have qualified for next season's Champions League after beating Manchester United in the Europa League final in Bilbao - their first major trophy for 17 years.

Justin Cochrane will join Frank at Tottenham as the Dane's assistant, despite efforts from the Bees to keep hold of the England coach.

Frank has also brought head of performance Chris Haslam and first-team analyst Joe Newton with him from Brentford, while another assistant coach, Andreas Georgson, arrives from Manchester United.

Rock band Pulp have achieved their first official number one album in 27 years with their new release More.

The Sheffield band have not topped the album chart since they released This Is Hardcore in 1998.

Their eighth studio album was also the best selling vinyl album this week, according to Official Charts.

It was one of three new entries in the top five this week alongside Addison Rae's self-titled debut Addison which reached number two.

Little Simz' sixth album Lotus has reached number three, the highest charting position of the Mercury Prize winner's career so far.

Released on 6 June, the new Pulp album was produced by James Ford, who has worked with bands such as Arctic Monkeys, Florence and the Machine and Kylie Minogue.

More was their first studio album since the release of We Love Life in 2001 which made it to number six in the chart.

Their only other number one album was 1995's Different Class which featured the hit single Common People.

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Hartlepool United have appointed Simon Grayson as the National League club's new manager.

Grayson replaces Australian Anthony Limbrick, who was sacked on Thursday after four months in the role.

The 55-year-old's most recent job was with Lalitpur City in the Nepal Super League, where he won the title in April. He has managed seven clubs in England, including Leeds and Preston, as well as Bengaluru in the Indian Super League.

"The club has gone through some tough times recently but by working hard together as a staff and fanbase we can bring back the good times which this football club deserves," Grayson told the club's website, external.

Pools finished last season 11th, eight points outside the play-offs.

"I'm delighted that Simon has accepted the role," said Pools chairman Raj Singh.

"Simon is someone who has been on our radar for a while and he's been my preferred candidate in the past when we've looked for managers, but for one reason or the other it didn't come off."

After retiring from playing in 2006, Grayson has won promotion from League One to the Championship with Blackpool, Leeds, Huddersfield and Preston in his managerial career.

The decision to bring in Grayson to replace Limbrick as manager marks another twist in a chaotic period for Hartlepool.

Chairman Singh announced in March that he wanted to sell and would only continue to fund the club until the end of the season.

In an interview on the club website, external last weekend, Singh said he had put £215,000 into the club at the end of May to ensure that wages and other bills were paid.

He said that finances were in place to keep Pools going over the summer, adding that "two or three parties" were interested in taking over the club and an agent would be appointed to handle the sale.

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