England player explains how he ended up flying ’10 feet in the air’ in bike fall that gashed chin open

Published

2 days ago

June 28, 2024

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England player Anthony Gordon said he flew ’10 feet in the air’ over his handlebars in a bicycle crash that left him with cuts and bruises.

It emerged this week that Gordon had been on a recovery bike ride at his team’s training base in Blankenhain on Wednesday when he took the fall.

Speaking on Friday, the Newcastle United winger explained how a combination of being on his phone, and getting confused about which brake applied to which wheel led to him catapulting “ten feet in the air” over his handlebars.

His teammates Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa have previously joked about the incident and the 23-year-old elaborated further for the gathered press.

“We went out for what was meant to be a recovery bike ride,” said Gordon. “It was a lovely day. I was going down the hill and tried to take a quick video for my family just to show them what I was doing and before I knew it I was face first into the floor.

“The electrics [electric bikes] are obviously a lot faster than normal bikes and in England the front brake is on the right hand side, so I tried to press the left just to slow down, and next minute it’s not slowed down it’s fully come to a stop and I’ve gone ten feet in the air, chin first.

“The worst thing about it was, because I was on my phone I actually didn’t know I was falling off until I hit the floor.”

Southgate amused

After the fall Gordon dusted himself down and finished the bike ride.

It was only when he was back at the team’s camp that a medic saw to his injuries.

The former Everton wide man said that Gareth Southgate, the England manager, and the players laughed when they saw what had happened to him, but he acknowledged he was lucky to not have suffered more serious injuries.

“I could’ve [suffered serious damage] with the speed I was going, I was actually going downhill so I could’ve ended up anywhere,” he added.

He continued: “Funnily enough, I was on a golf course and managed to land on the only bit of gravel there was. I was surrounded by grass and landed on the gravel so really lucky in some instances and unlucky in others.”

Foden back

Also on Friday, Phil Foden returned to England headquarters after taking a temporary leave of absence.

The Manchester City star had returned home to be with his partner as she gave birth to their third child but he is now available for selection for England’s round of 16 tie with Slovakia on Sunday.

The Three Lions have struggled to impress so far this tournament, despite fielding some of the best players of the competition, but nonetheless qualified for the knockout stage as group winners and are in the side of the draw considered to be the more favourable.

UK

England survive scare against Slovakia to book spot in Euro 2024 quarter-finals

Published

6 hours ago

June 30, 2024

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England survive scare against Slovakia to book spot in Euro 2024 quarter-finals

England survived a scare to book their place in the quarter-finals at Euro 2024 after beating Slovakia 2-1 in extra-time.

Gareth Southgate’s team fell behind in the 25th minute when Ivan Schranz put Slovakia into a shock lead and they looked to be heading out of the tournament as the game went into injury time.

However, Jude Bellingham produced a moment of brilliance to score a stunning equaliser with seconds to spare and send the last-16 tie to extra-time.

Captain Harry Kane put England in the lead early in the first half of extra-time and they held on, despite some nervy moments.

Bellingham told reporters the team’s success may spur them on in the rest of the competition and described his goal as “one of the most important moments of my career so far”.

England looked disappointing in the first half and at half-time, manager Gareth Southgate failed to make any changes.

In the second half, however, England got closer with two attempts to score, although Phil Foden’s goal was disallowed by VAR and Declan Rice’s shot came off the post.

Southgate’s side now faces Switzerland in the Euro 2024 quarter-final on Saturday.

Were they to reach the last four, they would then play in a semi-final on Wednesday 10 July.

UK

Jay Slater: Search for missing British teenager in area of Tenerife called off by police

Published

6 hours ago

June 30, 2024

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Jay Slater: Search for missing British teenager in area of Tenerife called off by police

The search for Jay Slater in an area of Tenerife has been called off, police have said, nearly two weeks after his disappearance.

The British teenager, from Oswaldtwistle, near Blackburn in Lancashire, has been missing in Tenerife since 17 June, when he vanished the morning after a rave.

The Civil Guard called for volunteers to join a new search in the Masca area – near his last-known location – on Saturday.

It has now confirmed to Sky News that the search has ended. Police are keeping the investigation open and could yet open up searches in the south of the island, but have not provided an update.

A handful of volunteers turned up to help rescue teams on Saturday, forming a total group of 30 to 40 people scouring a huge area of rugged and hilly terrain.

Mr Slater, 19, had been on holiday with friends on the Spanish island and was last pictured at Papayago, a nightclub hosting the end of the NRG festival, late on 16 June.

After the event ended, he got in a car travelling to a small Airbnb in Masca with two men, who police said on Saturday are “not relevant” to the case.

His last known location was the Rural de Teno Park in the north of the island – which is about an 11-hour walk from his accommodation.

A local cafe owner told Sky News he tried to catch a bus back to Los Cristianos, where he was staying.

Ofelia Medina Hernandez said she spoke to the teenager at 8am on 17 June, telling him a bus was due at 10am – but he set off walking and she said she later drove past him “walking fast”.

The apprentice bricklayer called a friend holidaying with him at around 8.30am on 17 June and said he was going to walk back after missing the bus.

He also told his friend he was lost and in need of water, with only 1% charge on his phone.

On Friday, Mr Slater’s friend Brad Hargreaves told ITV’s This Morning he had been on a video call with him before his disappearance when he heard him go off the road.

He said he could see his friend’s feet “sliding” down the hill and hear he was walking on gravel.

Meanwhile, Mr Slater’s family shared a blurry image of what they believe could be the missing teenager captured on CCTV in a nearby town 10 hours after he was first reported missing.