Goodwin’s stunning long-range strike and a Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah header put the visitors 2-0 up and Birmingham, backed by a club-record crowd of 8,749, knowing they had to win to be promoted, fought back valiantly in the final 27 minutes through Emily van Egmond’s header and Cho So-hyun’s volley – four minutes from time – to set up a frantic finish but the visitors clung on to the draw they needed to clinch top spot. Kang, who also owns the record eight-times women’s European champions Lyon and the NWSL side Washington Spirit, was in the executive boxes at a noisy St Andrew’s, sitting near to Birmingham’s owner Tom Wagner, in what was a clash between the second tier’s two big-spending promotion rivals, with the league’s chief executive Nikki Doucet and chair Dawn Airey also in attendance. The game was the first in the history of the English women’s second tier to be broadcast live by Sky Sports, such was the magnitude of the occasion with promotion on the line, and viewers were rewarded with a box-office finale as Birmingham pushed for a winner in 10 minutes of second-half stoppage time. After his team survived 10 minutes of stoppage time, Lionesses’ head coach, Jocelyn Prêcheur, looked emotionally drained when speaking to reporters and said: “It means a lot. This is the magic of the project. I was so satisfied to give her [Kang] this gift, this promotion, because people cannot really realise what she’s doing right now for women’s football. She’s really changing the game.” Free weekly newsletterNo topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women’s football As her teammates danced and sang on the pitch, the Republic of Ireland left-back Megan Campbell, formerly of Manchester City and Liverpool, who joined London City in 2023, said the club’s ambitions have no bounds. “There’s no ceiling for this club. You’ve got a fantastic owner in Michele Kang, who wants to support women’s football, who wants to promote the women’s game and do what she can for it, and when you’ve got someone like that in charge, the world’s your oyster.” London City Lionesses will be promoted to the WSL if they avoid defeat on Sunday Owned by a visionary businesswoman and one of the few independent women's football clubs not affiliated to a men's team London City Lionesses stand on the brink of history It will be a straight shootout for promotion to the Women's Super League between the Lionesses and Birmingham City on Sunday as the Women's Championship promotion race comes down to the final day of the season The Lionesses sit two points clear at the table summit and will be promoted to the top tier for the first time if they avoid defeat at second-placed Birmingham While it could become the biggest day in the club's short history for manager Jocelyn Precheur and owner Michele Kang "We have a long-term project here," Precheur said We have a long road but we will do it in two Maybe I look arrogant but Michele is very clear about the project We want to create a good club in England." who has played in four of Europe's 'big five' leagues and earned just shy of 200 caps for Sweden considers it one of the biggest games of her career "It feels like a final," Asllani told BBC Sport "These are the games you want to play It's a game between the two best teams in the league." Should they get over the line at the weekend the Lionesses will become the 20th different club to play in the top flight since its restructuring in 2011 How football tycoon gave Lyon a new lease of life Kang announces $50m for women's sport London City aim to reach WSL 'as fast as possible' Millwall Lionesses split from Millwall FC to become an independent and fully professional team In the following season the renamed London City Lionesses joined the Women's Championship It hasn't been smooth sailing for the Bromley-based Lionesses yo-yoing between second and eighth in the table during their first five seasons and going through five permanent managers - and three interims - prior to Precheur's arrival from Paris St-Germain in June 2024 in 2022-23 they did come within touching distance of promotion finishing in third position but only three points behind champions Bristol City Although they finished second the previous year the Lionesses reached the fifth round of the Women's FA Cup this season and last while they qualified for the Women's League Cup quarter-finals in 2023-24 Michele Kang (right) owns London City Lionesses marking the start of a new era for the club The South Korea-born American investor was inspired to invest in women's sport after meeting the World Cup-winning US women's national team in 2019 She has invested more than £40m in rugby and football the industry's first women's multi-club soccer ownership group and has built up a portfolio of women's football teams purchasing NWSL team Washington Spirit and French serial trophy winners Lyon Her objective couldn't be clearer: to make every team she owns champion of their respective league Kang's influence has been eye-catching who led PSG to the last four of the 2023-24 Women's Champions League and bringing in more than a dozen new players throughout this season The headline additions included veteran Sweden internationals Sofia Jakobsson and Asllani and five-time Women's Champions League winner Saki Kumagai Kang has relocated the club to Bromley and purchased the 28-acre Cobdown Park in Aylesford with the ambition of constructing a centre of excellence for women's and girls' football "It's great to have her [at our games] and when she's there The things she's done at this club and the other clubs is great," Goodwin said who was inspired to join the Lionesses after seeing the transformation at Washington Spirit Kang's biggest asset isn't her investment but her commitment to her vision "What she's doing is amazing and I hope it will inspire other clubs or other rich people to invest in women's football," Precheur told BBC Sport "We've heard many times in the past people who arrive [and say] we want to be promoted and play in the Champions League "You cannot realise how different it is if you haven't spoken with Michele She knows what she wants and when she says something It has to come from the top if you want to breed a winning culture." With Kang's investment and the flurry of new arrivals London City Lionesses were runaway pre-season favourites to secure promotion to the WSL Many expected them to win the Championship at a canter the promotion race has turned into a nail-biter Victory over Durham last week would have seen them crowned champions with a match to spare but they were held to a 1-1 draw – the second time this season Adam Furness' side have proved a thorn in the Lionesses' side after beating them 3-2 in November Sunderland and Charlton have also taken points off the league leaders who won last November's reverse fixture 2-1 The Lionesses have had to fight hard for their league-leading 13 wins with seven of those victories coming via a one-goal margin Sweden international Kosovare Asllani was one of more than a dozen new signings for 2024-25 Precheur believes it was disrespectful to the quality of the league to tout London City Lionesses as champions-in-waiting before a ball had been kicked "We identified four or five very good teams We identified Birmingham as a strong opponent and they confirmed the first feeling I had about them "We think with huge financial support We need to create a culture and so many things to have everything we need to perform consistently during the season but it's a lack of respect for the other teams It was a little lack of respect to think that it will be easy." 'One big push' - WSL promotion decider awaits fallen giants More on this storyGet the latest WSL news on our dedicated page but will Yamal build legacy to rival Messi 'Calamity keeper' or 'human wall' - which Donnarumma will Arsenal face Who will qualify for the Champions League as Forest draw at Palace The final series of Man Like Mobeen has arrived John Simm stars in the provocative 90s drama Warm-hearted comedy with Ben Miller and Sally Phillips Follow two ambitious river restoration projects Who has made Troy's Premier League team of the week Is the risk that Mercedes took with Antonelli paying off Trailblazer Zhao set to take snooker to 'another level' in China Zhao beats Williams in historic final - highlights VideoZhao beats Williams in historic final - highlights Alexander-Arnold leaves as modern Liverpool great - but fans will feel hurt 'Scheffler and DeChambeau wins further raise US PGA excitement levels' Match-fixing scandal to Crucible champion - fall and rise of Zhao 'We need to take a look at ourselves' - Arsenal stalling at wrong time Europa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney VideoEuropa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney Ask Me Anything the new BBC Sport service designed to serve you Bayern's 'James Bond' - how Kane clinched his first trophy Nine bolters with a shot of making the Lions squad How 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool VideoHow 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool Solskjaer on Besiktas Saints 'punch' favourites Leinster in game for the ages VideoVardy the best £1m ever spent - Shearer Poppy's tears Elton John & Happy Gilmore - McIlroy on Jimmy Fallon show Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. US EditionUK EditionScottish SunIrish SunSearchMy Account London City Lionesses have secured promotion to the Women's Super League for the first time following a dramatic four-goal thriller with Birmingham clinched the Women's Championship title by drawing 2-2 against the Blues at St Andrew's on Sunday they prevented their opponents from leapfrogging them into top spot on the final day Birmingham had needed to beat London City in order to snatch the title and a place in next season's WSL Goals from Isobel Goodwin and Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah put the visitors 2-0 up they could only salvage a point through Emily van Egmond and Cho So-hyun's strikes The men's team had already won League One with a record-breaking points tally to return to the Championship having been aided by the financial backing of Americans Tom Wagner and Tom Brady. NFL legend Brady issued a rallying cry to Birmingham fans ahead of the clash, as he said on X: "One game, one win, and they’re promoted to the Women’s Super League. "They’ve worked so hard all year long for this moment, and now it’s time for us to show up.” "Let’s help them lift that trophy and bring home some hardware of their own." it is London City's billionaire owner Michele Kang celebrating after buying the club last summer She added the newly-promoted side to her existing portfolio of clubs London City will now be the only fully-independent club in next season's WSL but always trying to be realistic and I'm just so beyond excited for our players but I think it was good for overall fans to get excited about women's football and how exciting the game could be "So the fact that it was also on Sky and BBC The match was the first Women's Championship fixture ever to be broadcast live on Sky Sports Kang added: "When I first came to England and bought London City a lot of people were very concerned for me that how could she do this "There's no men's team in England You need a men's team to draw the brand power we're proof that with the proper investment and focus All 12 clubs in this season's WSL are affiliated to a current Premier League side were formed in 2019 after breaking away from Millwall Lionesses Kang will be aiming to avoid repeating the outcomes for the last two clubs promoted to the WSL Bristol City and Crystal Palace have both failed to avoid immediate returns to the second tier since 2023 She has backed former Paris Saint-Germain manager Jocelyn Precheur to steer London City to safety the fact that I brought Jocelyn as our head coach we were actually building for sort of the mid-tier WSL team we still have a lot more to do in terms of roster and all that But we were always building from day one at a minimum mid-tier WSL team so that we don't follow that pattern that you get promoted and the next year you get demoted our sporting director and recruiting directors are meeting actually nine o'clock in the morning tomorrow to plan for the next season And we've got an exciting plan ahead." Kang also invested heavily in the playing squad including the signing of Swedish international Kosovare Asllani The London City captain has hailed their owner when no one in the football world where I'm from because I think when you have the right investment we have Michele that has the ambition of creating a winning team and giving us the best resources Real Madrid and AC Milan before joining London City The WSL winner also has 196 caps for Sweden and has appeared at the last three Women's World Cups More than 16,000 avid runners laced up their shoes for the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run 2025 Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.comand on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Runners, joggers, sprinters and walkers have put on their shorts and tied their shoes as they pounded the floors for Birmingham in this year's AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run Get the latest headlines delivered straight to your inbox with the Express & Star’s free newsletter The 2025 event saw more than 16,000 people sign up to take part in either the half marathon or 10k events, with many aiming to selflessly raise money for their chosen causes. The event, which was split into a number of different coloured waves, started at Centenary Square before making its way around the city - racing past various recognisable landmarks and points of interest.  While many chose to run the endurance event in professional running gear, some chose to dress up as their favourite characters to entice more people to donate to their causes, or just to have fun. Among those recognisable characters at this year's event was a cheeky leprechaun, a number of bin bags, a well-dressed steam-punk gentleman - and the lord of the dark side himself, Darth Vader - may the fourth be with you! Take a look at our gallery of pictures taken from the run - can you see yourself? After surpassing the all-time EFL points record earlier this week with a victory over Blackpool EFL Content Officer Will Evans delves into Birmingham City's extraordinary record-breaking campaign in Sky Bet League One Securing promotion back to the Championship was always the primary goal for Birmingham City when their third-tier journey began last August and a trip to Wembley - all clinched within a single unforgettable week in April Birmingham were undoubtedly boosted by investment in the playing staff over the summer with Jay Stansfield arriving for a League One record transfer fee and the acquisitions of Christoph Klarer and Tomoki Iwata amongst others successful recruitment doesn't always translate into guaranteed success on the pitch and much of the credit lies with rookie manager Chris Davies Backed by American owners Knighthead and a board on which NFL legend Tom Brady sits you could forgive Birmingham for appointing a big-name coach purely to amplify the glamour of their high-profile rebuild whose coaching pedigree at the elite level under the likes of Brendan Rodgers and Ange Postecoglou largely flew under the radar He's been the catalyst behind the Blues' unwavering intensity all campaign and while he remains humble by spotlighting everyone but himself he was deservedly named Manager of the Season at the EFL Awards recently \"I couldn't have dreamed of anything better when I first arrived at Birmingham City The season has exceeded my expectations,\" Davies explained at the ceremony but we have handled it by focusing on how we play the games and then hopefully you get the wins to go with it relentless drive and ability to never take the foot off the gas that's ultimately propelled them to where they want to be To start enjoying football again and to bring them some joy [with promotion] is something special it's a big Club and obviously they've supported us all season this team have operated with a laser-sharp focus They\'ve succeeded in a mission to become one of the most unforgettable sides in EFL history With 108 points and counting - two more than Reading’s legendary 2005/06 Championship side - the Blues now stand alone at the summit of English football history While there\'s no doubting that attention inside St Andrews will be firmly set on the challenge to come next season the magnitude of this accomplishment is undeniable "Think how many football teams there have been how many seasons there have been," Davies told the BBC "And we are the team to have got the most points in the history of English football To achieve 108 points is truly special and a remarkable achievement "I had spoken to the players about the legacy we could leave this season and the mark we could make in the footballing world." "I have been drumming it into them - to chase a record like this isn\'t a club record The weight of expectation on the shoulders of the players and staff heading into this campaign was arguably greater than any other Club at this level ever but the extra publicity garnered by the involvement of NFL great Brady whose arrival sparked comparisons to Wrexham’s Hollywood ownership duo Though the 47-year-old\'s involvement in the day-to-day running of the Blues is limited He knows what it takes to win at the highest level and he\'s been more than willing to pass that mindset on to the squad "I had a competitiveness edge during my career, but in this part of my life, I want to see other people reach their potential," Brady told Sky Sports "I was so fortunate during my career that so many mentors allowed me to grow and that mix of qualities I developed as a player they want to impact their own families\' lives and the community they play in So it\'s about how we can help support them It\'s something that also resonates with Blues manager Davies "It’s like having a world-class consultant, one of the greats, that I can speak to at any time," Davies told The Telegraph "I’ve worked with some top players at Liverpool and Spurs and Tom befits their very similar mentality There is an unrelenting drive and passion for excellence." sometimes it can take a while for everyone to settle in The West Midlands-based outfit burst out of the starting blocks going unbeaten in their first 15 league games of the campaign they\'ve been head and shoulders above the rest.  Much of that can be attributed to a lot of the new arrivals Talismanic goalscorer Jay Stansfield has contributed to many victories it\'s not just in attack where Birmingham have excelled Japanese midfielder Tomoki Iwata also deserves credit His expert composure in possession and ability to read the game from the middle of the park earned him a deserved nomination for the League One Player of the Season award the resolute partnership between Christoph Klarer and Ben Davies has also provided a rock-solid foundation As has the safe pair of hands provided by goalkeeper Ryan Allsop having taken a step down from the Championship to sign for his boyhood Club 20 clean sheets and counting will see him rewarded with the League One Golden Glove another achievement to add to the Club\'s ever-growing list and with my family still living in the area I was desperate to come here,” Allsop revealed I knew there was an opportunity to talk about a move “Even coming from a team in the Championship but also because of the ambitions of this Club I very much wanted to be a part of this journey.” With a few more astute signings likely to come there\'s belief amongst the fanbase that the sky is the limit for this team who will be more than capable of holding their own Major projects in the making include further retail and hospitality offerings alongside new lounges and terminal refurbishments all poised to enhance the airport experience maintenance bases and the expansion of stand capacity will be rolled out makeup areas and vehicle replacements all form part of the biggest investment the airport will see in one year alone.   construction areas at the airport are visible Overnight works will be prioritised where possible to ensure that projects are completed and handed over to new partners and passengers CEO at Birmingham Airport said: “Last year over 13m passengers flew through our airport We have already made significant investment in our terminal and airfield and our most significant spending programme to date demonstrates our confidence in continued growth Last year we completed 14 openings and refurbishments across the retail and catering estate and we have overcome the challenges seen in security.  with this year off to a flying start and one that will deliver our busiest to date with up to 14m forecast to use Birmingham Airport we need improved facilities not only for our customers This significant investment over the next year will ensure we can continue to build on operational efficiency whilst improving our resilience and offering greater choice This is an exciting time for Birmingham Airport Today’s announcement follows on from a £10m project announced less than a month ago improving baggage capability and resilience alongside reconfiguration of Immigration Halls providing more space.   Birmingham Airport continues to work on its ambitious on-going capital plan ensuring capacity growth and environmental improvements.  Sign up to our newsletters to receive the latest information on new destinations airline offers and commercial partner offers (including Birmingham Airport Parking) We ask that you read our Privacy Policy which explains your legal rights and how we will use your personal data If at any time you no longer wish to receive information from Birmingham Airport you can unsubscribe by clicking on the “unsubscribe” button which will be on the bottom of all marketing emails you receive from us Organisers have responded after runners who utilised public transport services raised concerns over the start times of this year's Great Birmingham Run Eco-minded runners raised concerns over transport options for this year's AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run due to the 'close-cutting' arrival times of public transport services The concerns were raised after it was found that many of the train and tram services around the West Midlands would arrive in Birmingham only minutes before the start of the Great Birmingham Run The timings were largely due to the Sunday running times remaining in place on Sunday meaning that many services didn't begin running until around 8am organisations have said that they try to work with 'city partners' and transport providers to ensure a 'smooth experience' train and tram times are 'outside of their control' A spokesperson for the Great Birmingham Run said: "Unfortunately train and tram times are outside of our direct control but we work closely with city partners and transport providers each year to try to ensure as smooth an experience as possible for our runners "We understand there are alternatively travel options many of which offer earlier connections into the city centre on event day." The group said that Great Birmingham Run participants were offered a week of free Transport For West Midlands bus travel to support their journey to and from the events The group added: "Great Birmingham Run participants have been offered a week of free Transport for West Midlands bus travel to support their journey to and from the events "We'll continue to review any feedback from this year's run and are committed to doing everything we can to help runners arrive ready and relaxed." The rats in Britain’s second city have feasted and multiplied This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Something rotten” Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents But a patch-up job would be cheaper than politicians think China has a new chance to call America’s bluff The relief they are banking on needs to come fast It would then have every right to strike back Interpretability techniques are powerful, but must be used with care Unite leader says ‘partial deal on pay protection for a few’ was overwhelmingly rejected in vote Negotiations between the council and Unite which is representing the striking workers and refuse workers have been on indefinite strike since 11 March On Monday, workers were balloted on a “partial deal on pay protection for a few” Workers voted overwhelmingly to reject the deal describing it as a “totally inadequate” offer that still included substantial pay cuts It said the offer also failed to address potential pay cuts for 200 drivers Graham said: “The rejection of the offer is no surprise as these workers simply cannot afford to take pay cuts of this magnitude to pay the price for bad decision after bad decision.” She called on the government to intervene and bring stakeholders together to end the strike, as well as “urgently consider Unite’s proposal for debt restructure at Birmingham city council and other local authorities” “Unite has set out simple and reasonable steps to the council to resolve these issues It is important to remember that this dispute is not about a pay rise it is about preventing serious pay cuts,” she said a Conservative MP whose Aldridge-Brownhills constituency is in the Walsall borough which she referred to as “squeaky blinders” She said: “This really shows yet again Labour-led Birmingham council and this Labour government are failing residents and our region Earlier on Monday, the government said military personnel with “operational planning expertise” had been brought in to help the council clear rubbish from the streets We’ve deployed a couple of army logistics to help with the logistical operation of clearing up the rubbish “We’ve got over two-thirds of the rubbish cleared off the streets now … I’m very pleased about that the Labour-run Birmingham city council declared a major incident after 17,000 tonnes of uncollected rubbish were left on the streets with striking workers being blamed for holding up bin lorries on the picket line The council said 1,500 tonnes of waste a day were now being cleared with about 100-120 refuse collection vehicles out every day prioritising 15 of the worst-affected wards The dispute centres on the council’s decision to cut a role from its waste service which the union says will leave a number of workers with an £8,000-a-year pay cut The council has repeatedly disputed this figure and said only 17 workers would be affected It also said all workers had been offered alternative jobs on the same pay grade in other areas of the council as well as the opportunity to train to become a driver A spokesperson for Birmingham city council said: “It is incredibly disappointing that despite several weeks of extensive negotiations Unite have rejected a second offer of settlement “The council must deliver improved waste services for our citizens We must also guard against future equal pay claims and while we have sought throughout the negotiations to protect pay for individuals Unite’s proposals focus solely on retaining a role that does not exist in other councils and represents an equal pay risk for Birmingham.” Reform and the Tories are rubbing their hands with glee as residents once again pay the price for the disarray of the city’s Labour council I was recently standing on a picket line at Birmingham’s largest waste depot with a case of deja vu. “We are massively underfunded. It does need changing,” Lee, a bin worker and union rep, told me. But the council’s current offer to end the strike isn’t good enough We’ve been here before. In 2017, during seven hot and smelly summer weeks similar interviews were conducted in the same spot and images of sky-high mounds of uncollected rubbish were beamed out of Birmingham That dispute was almost the same as the one we’re living through now: the council wants to get rid of a role that poses a hefty equal pay risk workers in other parts of the council on a similar grade don’t get the same pay or perks which means they can make costly claims for compensation via unions or no-win Although the problem reared its head eight years ago it wasn’t properly addressed – those strikes ended with essentially the same role in place but under a different name The failure of Birmingham’s leaders to get to grips with the situation is a symptom of the council’s deeper disarray. As far as dysfunctional families go, Birmingham Labour is up there with the House of Windsor Consumed by infighting and intermittent grabs for power from within its ranks the group often seems so focused on internal strife that the business of running the city comes second a Labour council improvement board (CIB) report found the group was “divided” with “briefing against colleagues” commonplace apparently blissfully unaware the authority was about to be plunged into chaos given how unstable it made the council appear the Labour government in Westminster hardly seems interested in Birmingham and its opponents are rubbing their hands with glee at the chance to make an example of the city with a dispatch on fly-tipping from Handsworth for GB News Strolling around one of the city’s more deprived neighbourhoods he pointed enthusiastically at the “hoards of filth” and discarded “soiled underwear” Even those of us frustrated with Labour will find little solace in such opportunism We are used to being ridiculed in Birmingham to opening social media and seeing countless memes declaring our city is a “shithole” I don’t know anyone who cares too much about that on a personal level – the Brummie disposition is typically light and self-deprecating is a functioning city that is a pleasure to live in not politicians falling over themselves to use us as their football adopted in the mid 19th century when we were regarded as a municipal powerhouse and “the best-governed city in the world” it feels as if we are going round and round in circles Kate Knowles is editor of the Birmingham Dispatch This comes as bin strikes enter a fifth week as a major incident is declared by the city council Reporting from a collection point in Billesley BBC Midlands' David Lumb described the stench as "thick in the air" Asked about residents' hopes that there could be a temporary halt to the strike action Unite regional officer Zoe Mayou said "not for now" The union representing striking workers says the council is forcing some staff on to pay levels barely above the minimum wage - the council maintains it has made a fair and reasonable offer Meanwhile, a neighbouring council has said it will help clear the backlog of waste in Birmingham. 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With the city’s refuse collectors still on the picket line after four weeks residents are pointing the finger of blame at the council we’re England’: anger rises as Birmingham’s bin strike takes toll on localsWith the city’s refuse collectors still on the picket line after four weeks The rats are responsible. “The amount of cars we’ve got coming in now with wiring chewed up by rats is unbelievable,” he says. Staff at Heartlands Auto Centre in Birmingham have repaired about 15 cars with chewed battery cables in the past week The rats are drawn to the warmer cars at night he says – rats gnaw to keep their teeth a manageable length Sadiq would be much happier to go without the extra business if the inner city streets of Small Heath and Alum Rock were not strewn with bin bags and overflowing wheelie bins – because Birmingham city council’s refuse collectors have been on strike for nearly four weeks “Why should we be dragging our bins across Birmingham?” Sadiq says “The whole council from top to bottom should be fired His views, and those of many Brummies who blame the council, seem to have spooked Labour in the buildup to England’s local election campaign, and sparked a row between Keir Starmer and trade union Unite Downing Street said the union should “focus on negotiating in good faith” and “drop their opposition” to hit back saying it was “not surprising that many workers in Britain question the Labour government’s commitment to working people” for blaming bin workers for the dispute Angela Rayner held a summit on Saturday night with council leaders to try to solve the crisis the strike is about the council’s plan to scrap the role of waste recycling and collection officer (WRCO) But that’s as simplistic as saying the first world war was caused by the killing of an archduke and its roots lie in the first Birmingham bin strike of 2017 as well as a landmark ruling over equal pay still sending shockwaves through British industry and a decade of underfunded local government It ended with a classic fudge – some working conditions would change and the council would create the role of WRCO Each waste lorry in Birmingham has a driver and three workers at the back who collect bins and empty them into the cart for extra responsibilities such as collecting data on a tablet as lawyers successfully argued at an employment tribunal was that these extra responsibilities didn’t really exist This was simply “job enrichment” – a way for the council to pay some of the men more to resolve the strike under cover of bureaucracy Birmingham council refuse collectors on strike in the city on March 3. Photograph: Sonja HorsmanThose lawyers were Leigh Day, acting on behalf of women working in council roles that didn’t get those kinds of perks – traditionally female-dominated functions such as teaching assistants, cleaners and caterers. Last December, Birmingham settled this new claim, brought by GMB and Unison, and agreed in principle to pay a £250m settlement to 6,000 women. The final details are still being worked out and the council is trying to prevent further claims by changing its employment practices – hence the scrapping of the WRCO which led to this year’s strike. “This is an issue that’s dogged this council for years,” said John Cotton, Birmingham’s leader since 2023. Successive administrations had failed to “eliminate the injustice” he said, “and clearly, if we don’t follow the right processes and procedures relating to pay grading, then we risk opening up a future liability.” Fixing the problems could mean levelling up pay for the teaching assistants, the cleaners and the caterers, but given Birmingham’s financial problems, adding millions to the payroll is not an option for Cotton. The Labour leader insisted the council was not levelling down. It had made a “very fair and reasonable” offer to the refuse workers “which means nobody needs to lose any pay”. He said “everyone who’s affected” had been offered alternative roles, either as street cleaners on the same grade, or an option to become a driver on a higher grade. Others could take voluntary redundancy or have their pay protected for six months. But Unite’s national lead officer, Onay Kasab, said in fact some workers would lose up to £8,000 in pay cuts. “Not everyone can retrain as a driver,” he said; reversing out of a narrow cul-de-sac is not an easy task. “We know there aren’t enough vacancies so people will train, then go down to a grade two until a vacancy comes up.” And Kasab was sceptical that any loader taking on a street cleaner’s job would stay on the same pay. “If you’re reducing a loader’s pay, it’s not going to be long before you reduce a street cleaner’s pay too. So it’s a disingenuous offer.” Morale seemed solid on the picket line at the Atlas depot in Tyseley on Thursday, where the strikers had been disrupting the council’s attempts to use agency workers to clear the rubbish mountain by walking slowly in front of each bin lorry as it left the depot, delaying their rounds by two hours or more. The next day, police were asked to step in and the lorries were able to move freely. For workers such as Wayne Bishop, a 58-year-old who has worked in all weathers for the past 15 years, collecting potentially dangerous waste including needles and medical equipment, gas bottles and electrical goods, it seems wrong to ask them to pay for the council’s previous mistakes. “If we’re demoted and we lose £600 a month it’s taking a big section out of our money,” he says. “They just put it on us. The council has left us with no other option. All we want is fair pay for a fair day’s work.” This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025. The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media. London City Lionesses promoted to WSL on final day London City Lionesses earned promotion to the Women's Super League for the first time despite title rivals Birmingham City coming from two goals down to force a thrilling draw on the final day of the Championship season A remarkable campaign came to an epic conclusion as the top two in the second tier met at St Andrew's where Birmingham needed to win to take the only promotion spot Championship top scorer Izzy Goodwin broke the deadlock for London City two minutes after half-time with a brilliant strike cutting in from the left wing before firing into the top corner right-footed from 25 yards The match appeared to be going only one way shortly before the hour when Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah - who had cleared a Birmingham effort off the line in the first half - headed in following a corner But Emily van Egmond bundled in from close range to pull one back for Birmingham before Cho So-hyun forced a grandstand finish with a skilfully executed volley with four minutes to go which means their stint in the second tier will continue into a fourth season 'We are only going up' - London City in WSL to stay WSL promotion shootout as London City face Birmingham Ambitious Lionesses recruit Asllani and ex-PSG boss Promotion represents vindication for wealthy Lionesses owner Michele Kang who took over in summer 2024 with the ambition of reaching the top of the women's game in England After hiring former Paris St-Germain boss Jocelyn Precheur and making several statement signings - including former WSL winner Kosovare Asllani - they have made the first step It also means Lionesses will become the first ever independent women's club Lionesses finish two points clear of Birmingham at the top of the Championship and they will replace relegated Crystal Palace in the WSL for 2025-26 "Since the beginning of the season it was tough "Maybe people think with money it wields say to build a team without financial support we could not do everything but there were a lot of things to do "Being promoted after just one season is amazing and completely outstanding It was tough and I also want to recognise the performance of Birmingham because it is a little unfair to be honest in a game like this to see we only have one team promoted because I think both teams needed to be promoted." Izzy Goodwin scored her 16th league goal of the season to put London City Lionesses ahead with two high quality teams meeting and so much on the line Birmingham kicked off as joint highest scorers in the Championship London City were unbeaten in their 10 previous games but they started slowly against a Birmingham side who had triumphed in their three previous meetings A tense first half saw both teams have efforts cleared off the line Emily van Egmond saw her header blocked in the 13th minute by Boye-Hlorkah who was brought into the starting XI by Precheur after being benched for last week's draw against Durham Then shortly before the break at the other end Boye-Hlorkah capitalised on an error by home goalkeeper Adrianna Franch only for Rebecca Holloway to make a last-ditch hooked clearance But Goodwin provided a moment of individual inspiration for her 16th goal in 20 Championship games and it set up Lionesses to complete their promotion mission Boye-Hlorkah and Van Egmond traded goals before Cho made it particularly nerve-jangling with Birmingham's equaliser But the WSL founder members and former Women's FA Cup winners must wait for their return to the top flight Birmingham defender Rebecca Holloway made a last-gasp goalline clearance in the first half It will be fascinating to see how Lionesses who have no affiliation with a men's club They will be facing 11 sides backed by associations with men's Premier League and Championship teams London City have hefty backing of their own from Kang's Kynisca Sports International group which also owns Women's Champions League semi-finalists Lyon and American heavyweights Washington Spirit this is the latest step in a remarkable journey for London City since they were born in 2019 out of a breakaway from Millwall Lionesses They have several recognisable names in their squad and are planning a world-class and female-centred training facility at Cobdown Park in Kent the promoted team have gone straight back down from the WSL - Bristol City in 2024 and Palace this year bucking that trend is their next challenge but they have made no secret about having loftier ambitions than that Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah celebrates scoring the second goal which proved crucial for Lionesses Head here to get involved Get the latest WSL news on our dedicated page To load Comments you need to enable JavaScript in your browser The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made substituted for Louise Quinn at 86 minutesNumber 24 substituted for Cho So-Hyun at 75 minutesNumber 10 substituted for Lucy Quinn at 56 minutesNumber 26 London City LionessesManager: Jocelyn Prêcheur Wilde Match OfficialsReferee: Stacey FullicksAssistant Referee 1: Daniel SykesAssistant Referee 2: Phoebe HornerFourth Official: Amy FearnMatch StatsKey A dog kennel owner has been handed a 10-year ban after allowing dogs in her care to suffer Natalie Bailey, of Copthorpe Road, in Great Barr, who ran a private boarding kennel in Birmingham admitted a series of animal welfare offences against three dogs Bailey was investigated by the RSPCA investigators after concerns were raised by a member of staff at a vet when a bulldog was brought to the building in a suffering state The concerns were raised about the mistreatment of the dogs at the private kennels in Cookset Lane A staff member at the vet said that the English bulldog was bought in by a woman who was 'very panicked' and 'had blood over her arms' The staff member said: "A woman arrived at the clinic very panicked and had blood over her arms "She said that she had picked her dog up from the boarding kennels and that she thought she was dying I went straight out to the car and there were two bulldogs in the back seat she felt cold and was severely underweight The owner explained that the dog had been at a kennel for several weeks while she moved house The staff member said: "The owner explained to me that the dogs had been at a boarding kennel for several weeks whilst the owner was moving house "She said had been sent some photos while they were boarding The owner then went on to say that she rang the kennels as she was worried that they may have run out of food "The woman at the kennels said that they were fine the owner felt this was strange and so took a bag of food around anyway she found the dog in this condition so collected her straight away and brought her straight down to us." Rochea suddenly collapsed and had to be put to sleep with consent from her owner A female Staffordshire bull terrier-type dog named Brindy was also found to be suffering when she was presented in an emaciated state with the dog showing a history of vomiting to a different vet practice She was being cared for by Bailey while her owner was in hospital who investigated for the animal welfare charity said: "Owners entrusted Bailey with their pets expecting a level of care which they sadly did not receive.” was also found to have been left in a crate for a long period causing it to suffer scalding due to standing in urine and faeces Beau had also been found not to have been given appropriate food and kept in an unclean environment The 31-year-old was banned from keeping animals for 10 years after pleading guilty to offences under the Animal Welfare Acts of 2006 and was ordered to carry out 25 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days when she was sentenced at Birmingham Insense Supervision court on April 10 Aston Villa is upgrading its stadium facilities and launched one of the best fine dining restaurants in the West Midlands Ask anyone from the West Midlands about the best things about their region and at some point they will mention the food Birmingham and its surrounding areas are home to some of the most iconic restaurants in the UK Just look at the wealth of Michelin stars that have been bestowed on the region in recent years - from two stars at Opheem in Birmingham city centre to long-standing food heroes Simpsons in Edgbaston which has held the one star coveted accolade since 1999 Now our football teams are upping their food game with Aston Villa seemingly knocking it out of the park at its revamped Legends Lounge at Villa Park We were invited to try out the new fine dining experience at the historic stadium which has been home to the Premier League Club since 1897 I was intrigued by the new offering which ‘is redefining matchday dining’ with an exclusive seven-course tasting menu showcasing the best of modern British cuisine We arrived at Villa Park three-and-a-half hours ahead of the early Saturday evening match against Newcastle - kick off was 5.30pm - and the Legend’s Lounge was open to guests from 2pm Claret and blue clad fans were gathering as we arrived - families and friends were strolling through the legendary stands momentous statues and glorious slogans emblazoned on the walls of the terraces The atmosphere was electric amid the gleaming lions from the club badge standing tall atop the stadium gates It was so impressive to see so many youngsters accompanying their parents proudly passing on the joy of following their team With access to the Legends Lounge 3.5 hours ahead of kick off we had plenty of time to get started on those seven courses We gained entry through the MacGregors Suite at the Trinity Stand and were given a warm welcome from everyone we met More than 42,000 fans were attending the game and staff calm and friendly as they guided us to our luxury destination on the second floor The Legends Lounge is a beautiful restaurant offering panoramic views overlooking the pitch Natural lighting from the football field and exterior woodland flooded through the stylish venue where sun rays bounced off golden decor and furnishings and gleaming glasses and silverware creating a stunning spectacle TV screens showing the latest football action around the stadium were tastefully located at various points through the restaurant where Villa heritage was seamlessly celebrated amid the luxury including a quote from Dough Ellis saying: “Villa Park’s setting in the heart of Birmingham is a testament to the club’s roots and its bond with the local community it stands as a beacon of pride for both the club and the city.”  As soon as we were seated our table host introduced herself to us and offered us a drink while we settled into our comfy seats The tasting menu comes with wine pairing and Champagne but it’s just so hard to say no to a glass of Champagne while my fellow dining partner opted for a pint of Poretti lager Fresh flowers adorned the table along with a Programme for the game - and a boxed gift from the newly revamped Villa Shop It was a charming Villa pen set in a claret wallet with blue lining But we weren’t here for the presents - we were here for the food And we were pretty confident that we weren’t going to be disappointed I’m not the biggest fan of football although I do follow the game and am proud of our region's iconic teams But I am a fan of food and like nothing less than exploring new dining experiences far and wide From The Wilderness in the Jewellery Quarter to Adams in Birmingham centre to Herbert’s Yard in Longbridge and ‘the Best Pub Pie Ever’ at the Inkwell in Lichfield - I’ve managed to scoff my way around a fair bit of the West Midlands in all sorts of venues We kicked off with canapés - a Black Olive muffin with natural yoghurst and Isle of Wight tomato with confit garlic bruschetta crispiness of the bruschetta was an especially sensational joy to bite into which blended perfectly with the accompanying pairing of La Cuvee NV We were definitely onto a winner - and the match hadn’t even started I had to keep reminding myself that I was in a football stadium - this was luxury fine dining far away from match day pies I had always associated with soccer Although we did get a gentle reminder as each plate of food was elegantly served in dishes emblazoned with a gold Aston Villa crest It wasn’t long before we were tucking into course number two - our pre-starter of White bean and spinach soup with basil perfectly preparing us for our oncoming trip outdoors to our padded stadium seats to watch Villa take on Newcastle The kitchen just kept on scoring with the arrival of course number three - our actual starter - a Pork cheek croquet The crispy coating encapsulated the moistest morsels of meat with delicious mellow flavours enhanced by the sharpness of the pickle and delightfully contrasting with the smoothness of the remoulade Laurent Perrier Champagne added another sweetly sparkling depth to the dish We were soon onto our fish course (this is number four Now this was actually my favourite dish of all It was Poached lobster with Yellow pepper emulsion It was as luxurious as it sounds and as pretty as a picture with a rainbow of colours filling the plate an exquisite experience of meaty fish empowered with protein and nutrients Burgundy from France with its silky texture and fresh apple-y aromas enhancing the goodness Well I can assure you that course five was also a triumph - a fantastic seasonal dish of lamb Our pairing wine was a bold and beautiful Rioja Gran Reserva 2018 Sierra Cantabria from Spain with a hint of coffee amid the fruity Now you may not be surprised to hear that at this point we did take a bit of a break from wining and dining before we continued our feast It was time to soak up more of the atmosphere in the restaurant as the stadium filled up with fans ready for their team's latest clash on the pitch Each guest in the Legend’s Lounge has a bespoke pin badge for the game We were also advised that we could take a blanket into the stadium to keep warm if we wanted We had great seats - padded no less - overlooking the centre of the pitch Ahead of the sporting action we tucked into two more courses Pre-dessert was a refreshing Rhubarb and custard ice cream Our actual dessert was a magnificent Easter Chocolate mousse I’ve never eaten Kataifi before - the shredded sweet pastry looked and tasted fabulous - I loved the texture and its strawlike features Our pairing wine was Tokaji Late Harvest 2022 But the pre-match live music and pyrotechnics were exhilarating We retreated into the Legend’s Lounge for a bit more food - and drink This time we were served Mini ox cheek suet pudding with a glass of Poretti (we could have chosen other drinks) It was the comfort food I needed as I discovered a new passion for my home city’s Premier League team It wasn’t long before we were back outside cheering - and the goals just kept coming Our celebrations didn’t stop in our stadium side seats We returned to the Legends Lounge where we were invited to stay for another 1.5 hours after the match We ordered a post drink tipple and were served up our fine dining finale - a cheese board with Lancashire Black Bomber Aston Villa certainly know how to entertain with quality food and service with an exceptional fine dining experience - one of the best in the West Midlands which boasts some of the best restaurants in the UK You can find out more information about the Legends Lounge at Villa Park here: Legends Lounge at Villa Park  An innovative treatment for enlarged prostates is now being offered to NHS patients in Sandwell and West Birmingham for the first time with improved recovery times and long-term benefits is a minimally invasive procedure performed under general anaesthetic and involves using a laser to remove parts of the prostate It is now being performed by urologists at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust at the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital Patients who undergo HoLEP will spend less time recovering in hospital and will need to wear a catheter for a shorter amount of time than those who undergo a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) There is also a lower risk of complications with HoLEP as there is less bleeding than TURP surgery and therefore a reduced chance of the patient requiring a blood transfusion One of the first procedures took place earlier this year He said: “I spoke to my consultant about the options for my enlarged prostate and was keen to have surgery so I wasn’t nervous about having a new procedure at all “I’m still continuing with my pelvic floor exercises but since the surgery I get up a lot less in the middle of the night to use to bathroom Consultant urologists Mr Fahd Khan and Ananda Dhanasekaran have now performed over fifteen HoLEP procedures a consultant urologist in the NHS who specialises in laser prostate surgery who helped establish the HoLEP service at the Trust said: “Lots of men over the age of 50 will have problems with an enlarged prostate which can reduce their quality of life in many ways “I am very pleased that we can now offer this treatment to them which will help them to recover faster and reduce any chance of needing more surgery in the future “There is also no limitation on the size of the prostate we can operate on using HoLEP which means we can help treat even more men with this common issue.” The recovery time from a HoLEP procedure is typically 4-6 weeks patients are advised to continue with pelvic floor exercises to strengthen urinary control and help resolve symptoms of an overactive bladder The Young Robins came from behind to seal a 2-1 win over Birmingham City at the High Performance centre on Monday afternoon City fell behind midway through the first half however goals from Kai Churchley and Marley Rose in the second period was enough to secure the win for the Young Robins.  Rose was played through on goal thanks to an intricate ball over the top from the midfield but his effort was fired straight at the Blues goalkeeper.  a free-kick from Taine Anderson was met by Joseph James in the box the defender’s header failed to trouble Will O’Sullivan in the Birmingham goal.  Chances continued to come for the Young Robins as Rose played in Billy Phillips whose pass found Churchley at the back post but the visitors’ defence recovered well to deflect his effort wide.  with City’s number ten forcing a strong save at close range from O’Sullivan.  Phillips was involved in the action once more after he met Anderson’s cross at the far post and was denied by a clearance off the line.  City then fell behind against the run of play after a ball over the top fell to Alvaro Ruiz-Rente whose shot from range looped over Josey Casa-Grande and into the top corner The Young Robins almost hit back moments later as Cavalli Walker drilled a cross along the six-yard box and Anderson’s shot fell agonisingly wide.  City came close to a leveller in the first minute of the second half after Anderson’s powerful effort flashed wide of the post.  The Young Robins’ relentless pressure was rewarded and grabbed the equaliser after Churchley turned in the box and fired his effort past O’Sullivan to his right to level proceedings.  City then took the lead two minutes later after Rose found himself free in the box and calmly rolled his effort into the right corner to put the Young Robins ahead.  The hosts managed the game professionally for the rest of the second half to deny any late fightback from the Blues to secure a well deserved three points.  Next up for the Young Robins is a trip to the Midlands to take on Coventry City on Friday 9th May as the Professional Development League Two season comes to an end Keep up to date with all the latest goings on by signing up for the Bristol City Email newsletter Ashton Gate StadiumAshton RoadBristolBS3 2EJ To continue please log in with your personal details Logging in will give you access to ticketing If you have not yet set up a Bristol City FC account just click Create Account below The BetGoodwin Oxford Spires finally picked up their first league points of the season with a convincing win against the Birmingham Brummies The Spires took control in heat one and never looked back with all riders contributing important points along the way The teams will battle it out again tonight at Birmingham teams will be the same as this afternoons fixture