Sophie Ingle will celebrate her Double triumph with Chelsea by trying to break the attendance record for a Wales women’s international later this year. The Wales captain helped her club lift the Women’s FA Cup at the weekend when they overcame Manchester City 3-2 at Wembley after extra time. It followed the club’s historic third successive Women’s Super League title clinched last weekend, a Double accomplishment of which Ingle has been a key part.

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson insists even if his club fail to get a Hollywood ending to their promotion push, they will not be left on the cutting room floor. Parkinson has got used to cameras everywhere he goes as the manager working for A-listers and joint owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The perfect script would be for Wrexham to win the National League title and return to the EFL after 14 years away by winning at Dagenham and Redbridge on the final day of the regular campaign.

Steve Cooper insists he and his Nottingham Forest side will not be burdened by the weight of history as they prepare to face Sheffield United in the first leg of their Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final at Bramall Lane on Saturday. The Welshman will lead a club that has not featured in the Premier League this century, an absence keenly felt in a city steeped in the traditions of Brian Clough and his all-conquering sides that swept to back-to-back European Cup wins in 1979 and 1980. Expectations have been raised again by the club’s extraordinary rise since former Swansea City boss Cooper’s arrival at the City Ground in September, but the Pontypridd native is adamant that history must only be seen as a positive as they look to take the first steps towards a return to the game’s elite.

Dai Young insists both Cardiff Rugby and the Dragons have a duty to produce an entertaining affair at Rodney Parade on Friday night following the downbeat mood which seems to have settled over Welsh rugby. The two sides will face each other in Newport in the final United Rugby Championship derby of the season, with all of the Welsh regions having failed to make the play-offs. But with Young still believing his men will take on a motivated Dragons side, he knows his own team will need to be at their best in order to claim a derby win.

Roy Hodgson believes Watford have taken a “sensible” direction with the appointment of former Wales international Rob Edwards as the club’s new manager. The Hornets announced that Edwards, 39, would leave Forest Green Rovers to take charge at the end of the season, bringing Hodgson’s short-term tenure in charge at Vicarage Road to an end. But, speaking after a much-depleted side had held Everton to a goalless draw, the 74-year-old wished his successor all the best, and said: “I think the direction is really quite a sensible one.

Dan James “feels terrible” over the red card that has ruled the Wales star out of Leeds United’s crucial Premier League run-in. Leeds manager Jesse Marsch revealed James’s regret over his lunge at Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic during Wednesday night’s 3-0 home defeat for the Yorkshire club at Elland Road. Replays showed James made contact with the ball first, but was off the ground and out of control when his foot then struck Kovacic’s shin.

Newport County’s FA Cup legend Padraig Amond could be on his way back to Ireland after confirming his time at Rodney Parade has come to an end. The striker – whose goals inspired County to memorable FA Cup giant-killing triumphs over Leicester City and Middlesbrough, plus glorious near misses against Tottenham and Manchester City – is a free agent after spending this season on loan at Exeter City. Despite playing 30 matches for the Grecians and helping them to promotion from League Two, it appears 34-year-old Amond is not going to be offered a new deal by either Newport or Exeter and may well return to the League of Ireland.

Sophie Ingle will head into Wales’ crucial World Cup qualifiers, buoyed by a third successive Women’s Super League title. The Wales captain made it a treble triumph of consecutive WSL winners’ medals with Chelsea as they twice came from behind to beat Manchester United 4-2 and hold off the challenge of second-placed Arsenal on Sunday. Ingle was at the heart of the action in the Chelsea midfield and the 30-year-old will have a chance to finish the season with another trophy when her team face Manchester City this Sunday in the Women’s FA Cup Final.

Robert Page and his Wales players have been warned there is an emotional tidal wave of support ready to carry Ukraine to the World Cup finals. The Ukranians – who will stand between Wales and the finals in Qatar if they beat Scotland in their play-off semi-final – have said they will pour their heart and soul into ensuring they win their matches as soldiers repelling the Russian invasion want the team to do everything they can to qualify, according to midfielder Taras Stepanenko. Ukraine, who last played against Bosnia & Herzegovina in a 2-0 victory in November, face Scotland in Glasgow on June 1, with the winner set to face Wales four days later for a place in the finals later this year.

Swansea City and Cardiff City will both end their seasons on a wing and a prayer on Saturday afternoon. Both have suffered battle damage after a long season and neither can do anything other than pray their wishes come true this summer. For the Swans, that will mean hoping against hope they can retain some of their best players.

Kieffer Moore has been hailed as “amazing” by his manager Scott Parker after the Wales striker’s dramatic goal sent Bournemouth back to the Premier League on a night of double Welsh celebration for the club. Moore fired home a decisive late winner against Nottingham Forest as The Cherries claimed the second automatic promotion sport behind champions Fulham with a 1-0 victory. It was Moore’s third goal in two substitute appearances for Bournemouth who went into the match in upbeat mood after the news that Moore’s Welsh clubmate David Brooks has been given the all-clear after cancer treatment.

Nathan Jones insists he can still guide Luton Town into the Premier League – despite suffering a 7-0 thrashing at Fulham which clinched the Championship title for their hosts. The Hatters’ Welsh manager believes his team can recover quickly from their biggest defeat of the season and claim the victory at home to Reading in their final game on Saturday which would clinch their play-off spot. The hammering – in which Aleksandar Mitrovic’s two goals gave him the highest-scoring English league season record for over half a century with 43 – saw Luton drop down a place to sixth.

Cardiff City youngster Oli Denham believes the club are heading in the right direction under straight-talking Steve Morison. Denham is one of a number of youngsters given his opportunity under manager Morison in recent weeks as the Bluebirds boss prepares for a massive summer clear-out. The changes have lately been at the cost of results with Cardiff in danger of ending the season without a win in six games unless they can gain victory in their final Championship fixture at Derby County on Saturday.

By Matthew Burgess Officials and players of Newtown AFC would’ve been following events at Cardiff City Stadium yesterday with more than a passing interest as they witnessed a nervy finish as The New Saints successfully fended off Penybont’s valiant attempts of an audacious comeback. Celebratory scenes at full-time confirmed Saints as worthy League and Cup […]

Russell Martin has admitted he felt embarrassed by Swansea City’s latest collapse and vowed to bring in more athletic and powerful players this summer. The Swans head coach again watched his team succumb in a one-sided second-half as they were thrashed 5-1 at Nottingham Forest. In three of their last four games, the Swans have conceded three second half goals to Reading, three to Bournemouth and now four to Forest.

Steve Morison has described promotion from the Championship as his “vision” for Cardiff City next season, rather than a target. The Bluebirds manager and his team said farewell to their supporters with an underwhelming 1-1 draw at home to fellow strugglers Birmingham City in their penultimate game of the season. Morison is already looking forward to next season and a busy summer of comings and goings but he is realistic about what the expectations should be for the next campaign.

Watching Wales play football on TV for nothing, and in the Welsh language, is about to become history. The FAW have signed up for a brave new world of Nordic streaming channels with monthly fees, so untested the service doesn’t even exist yet in the UK. Feeling let down? So is, Dan Parker. So, from 2024 broadcast access to Wales (men’s) international football is set fall behind a paywall. Swedish streaming service Viaplay has secured exclusive access to Wales’ World Cup and European Championship qualifiers, as well as Nations League games and friendlies.

By Fraser Watson A row has broken out over player eligibility rules, which has prevented a Pembrokeshire club from clinching the title. The Division 1 season may be over in the Pembrokeshire Football League – but it could be sometime before the champions are confirmed with both the top two clubs potentially facing sanctions. As […]

By Harry Corish Gareth Bale has been pinpointed by as the man who can destroy Scotland’s hopes of reaching the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Former Scotland and Chelsea winger Pat Nevin believes the entire Scottish nation is wary of Bale, who has the ability to knock Scotland out of the World Cup reckoning. Scotland fans […]

Steve Morison has questioned the desire of Cardiff City players after they suffered a fourth straight defeat. The Bluebirds manager suggested some in his squad lack motivation as they suffered their 23rd defeat of the Championship season with a 2-0 loss at Middlesbrough. Only two of the teams in the relegation places have lost more games than Cardiff this season and if it were not for the points deductions suffered by Derby County and Reading, Cardiff’s home clash against Birmingham City this Saturday would be a likely relegation decider.