FULL-TIME offers you an easy way to manage your football leagues online. Helpful apps and websites to support leagues and clubs Get all the latest football news sent directly to your inbox 559 CommentsAston Villa have announced plans to take Villa Park's capacity to over 50,000 by redeveloping the North Stand The club will completely refurbish the North Stand increasing the number of available seats from about 5,000 to 12,000 With smaller upgrades to the other three stands Villa say the stadium's capacity will increase to over 50,000 from 42,918 who hope to have the redevelopment finished by the second half of 2027 say the ground's current capacity will not decrease at any point during the building works "Aston Villa fans have been electrifying Villa Park for generations charging the atmosphere with unrivalled intensity at every home match for more than 125 years," Chris Heck Villa's president of business operations Aston Villa unveils major stadium regeneration plan "Thanks to the hard work and collaboration of an exceptional team we will now be able to offer this incredible experience to thousands more all while meeting the key challenge of executing this project without compromising matchday capacity during the process." Villa had previously proposed to knock down the North Stand but those plans were shelved as it would have meant a temporary reduction in capacity to about 36,000 Villa Park is a host venue for the Euro 2028 tournament which is being held across the United Kingdom and Ireland Aston Villa's announcement of expansion plans to extend the capacity of Villa Park to more than 50,000 is another indicator of the ambition fuelling the club's revival under manager Unai Emery Under the ownership of executive chairman Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens Villa have been restored to the elite levels reaching the Champions League quarter-finals where they were narrowly beaten 5-4 on aggregate by Paris St Germain working alongside his long-time cohort Monchi Villa's president of football operations has seen his worked backed in the transfer market - as proved in January with the loan signings of Marcus Rashford from Manchester United midfielder Marco Asensio from PSG and Borussia Dortmund's Donyell Malen on a permanent deal - by owners intent on maintaining Villa's momentum This has now extended to upgrading Villa Park from its current capacity past the 50,000 mark to capitalise on the renaissance masterminded by Emery Villa were ahead of schedule when they broke through the Premier League's glass ceiling last season to reach the Champions League They are still in the hunt to reach the Champions League again next season and have an FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace at Wembley on Saturday Villa Park revamp needed but club must get it right More on this storyLatest Aston Villa news Get Aston Villa news sent straight to your phone To load Comments you need to enable JavaScript in your browser View comments | 559Top storiesTrailblazer Zhao set to take snooker to 'another level' in China Alexander-Arnold leaves as modern Liverpool great - but fans will feel hurt Alpine poised to replace Doohan with Colapinto 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 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 '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 Palmer's brilliance could be key moment in Chelsea's Champions League quest 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 Still number one & 'sparring' with Draper - return of Sinner 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 Two opposing views on football's transgender ban Copyright © 2025 BBC. 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Aston Villa played in the Champions League this season for the first time since 1983 A system malfunction led to the wrong anthem being played before Aston Villa's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris St-Germain The Europa League anthem was played over the PA system as the players lined up at Villa Park on Tuesday before it was switched for the Champions League anthem Club and Uefa sources say the automated system responsible for playing the anthem crashed and was overriden by another system Several players looked quizzically at each other as the anthem was played Villa defender Ezri Konsa did a facepalm gesture as he and midfielder Youri Tielemans tried to contain their laughter while PSG's Fabian Ruiz and Ousmane Dembele exchanged puzzled glances There is nothing in Uefa regulations regarding incorrect anthems being played so Villa are unlikely to face any sanctions European football's governing body provides clubs with the relevant anthems but it is the responsibility of clubs to play them Its regulations say walk-on music is played as the players emerge from the tunnel followed by the Champions League anthem once they have lined up Unai Emery's side recovered from 2-0 down to win the second leg 3-2 Heroic Villa comeback falls just short against PSG 'He was on fire' - so was Emery wrong to replace Rashford The Champions League anthem was written by British composer Tony Britten in 1992 to mark the European Cup's rebrand to the Champions League It takes inspiration from Handel's 'Zadok The Priest' - a song written for King George II's coronation in 1726 - and has lyrics in Uefa's three official languages - English The current Europa League anthem was created by music brand agency MassiveMusic and introduced at the start of the 2018-19 season It is the third anthem to be used since the competition rebranded from the Uefa Cup in 2009 It is also played at Conference League matches since its introduction in 2021 PSG come from behind in impressive win over Aston Villa 291 CommentsAston Villa manager Unai Emery says his team "believe in Villa Park" and the potential for home comforts to energise them but can the Premier League side really stage a comeback to reach the Champions League semi-finals Paris St-Germain hold a two-goal lead at the halfway stage of their quarter-final tie against Villa after a convincing 3-1 win in France. The French champions will be heavy favourites to progress to the last four when the two meet again in Birmingham next Tuesday night (20:00 BST) But Villa are unbeaten in front of their own fans this season in the Champions League - even recording a home league phase win over six-time winners Bayern Munich. the Premier League side have 11 wins and six draws from their past 17 home games in all competitions "We will play at home next week and it will be a huge challenge for us but we will feel strong at home with our supporters at Villa Park," said Emery we believe in Villa Park and that the players can get the best performance next week." Emery's players remain equally optimistic "The manager spoke in there and he said 'it is only half-time'," defender Matty Cash told BBC Radio 5 Live We are more than capable to score two or three goals at home." Villa's goalscorer Morgan Rogers - who gave them the lead at the Parc des Princes - told TNT Sports: "There's loads of belief in the changing room nobody thought we'd win the tie in the first place Mendes' late strike puts PSG in control against Villa William takes eldest son George to watch Villa in Paris Rogers rounds off team move to give Villa shock lead at PSG what chance do Villa have of hauling themselves back into this tie and even winning it It should be noted that similar comebacks have been achieved before Nine teams have been exactly two goals down after an away leg in a knockout Champions League tie and managed to successfully turn things around at home who lost 2-0 at Atletico Madrid in the 2018-19 last-16 stage but won their second leg 3-0 Paris St-Germain have twice surrendered two-goal leads at the halfway stage of a Champions League knockout tie to be eliminated - the most of any club. It occurred for them against Chelsea in 2013-14 and against Manchester United in 2018-19. Famously, PSG once surrendered a four-goal first-leg advantage against Barcelona, winning 4-0 at home but losing 6-1 at the Nou Camp. That happened in 2016-17 when the French side were managed by Emery, and when PSG's current boss Luis Enrique was in charge of Barcelona. Could the comeback roles be reversed this time? The prospects look slim. Paris St-Germain have been formidable on the road this season, winning on their last 16 away trips in all competitions. Defenders Marquinhos and Presnel Kimpembe are the only two players from the PSG squad who were stunned by Barcelona eight years ago who are still at the club. Former England defender Stephen Warnock believes PSG's tie with Villa is "massively" in the French side's favour. "In the first leg PSG were hoping to draw them out of defence and almost give them false hope by leaving spaces for them to attack into," Warnock told BBC Sport. "Villa are going to have the same problem in the second leg too, especially with the score at 3-1. "Now they will have to go at them, which opens up the game for PSG on the break. If Villa were 2-1 down they could stick with the way they played in the first half on Tuesday, knowing they can nick a goal and level the tie." Sensibly, those in the PSG camp have stressed the quarter-final is far from over. Head coach Luis Enrique told TNT Sports it will be "difficult" for his team at Villa Park, and goalscorer Khvicha Kvaratskhelia told BBC Radio 5 Live: "The job is not finished." View comments | 291Top storiesTrailblazer Zhao set to take snooker to 'another level' in China Aston Villa have won the FA Youth Cup for the second time in four years following a 3-1 victory against Manchester City Villa’s under-18s side triumphed in front of home support at Villa Park to mark a fifth FA Youth Cup win in the club’s history Jimmy Shan’s young side responded emphatically after an early setback in the second minute with City forward Matty Walhurst putting the visitors into the lead defender TJ Carroll headed from a corner just two minutes later to equalise with further goals from Cole Brannigan and Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba proving the difference against a City side who had not lost since November and were only defeated once in the under-18 Premier League FA YOUTH CUP WINNERS 2024/25 — ASTON VILLA 🏆 pic.twitter.com/7NWGIOIt0d — Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 5, 2025 Despite City going into an early lead after Villa goalkeeper Sam Proctor’s pass was intercepted and ruthlessly pounced on Carroll’s header gave Villa impetus and they were content to allow City to have most of the possession but attack quickly on turnovers and through fast attacking patterns City’s best chances fell in the first half with winger Christian Dunbar-McDonald skewing his close-range effort wide after being picked out in the box Having delivered the corner for Carroll’s goal earlier on attacking midfielder Cole Brannigan got himself on the scoresheet with an exqusitely-timed half volley to put Villa in the lead Villa had worked a short corner that aimed to find Carroll at the back post but City’s clearance fell to the 17-year-old who arched his run to produce enough power onto his left-footed strike With local first team players Morgan Rogers and Jacob Ramsey watching on from the stands Villa kept City at arms length in the second half restricting chances while remaining a threat themselves who has trained reguarly under Unai Emery this season and has made two senior appearances cut inside from the left and from outside the box struck low past City goalkeeper Oliver Whatmuff The 18-year-old’s goal came in front of a packed Holte End with over 25,000 supporters in attendance to watch Villa’s youngsters lift the trophy Your 2024-25 #FAYouthCup champions… @AVFCOfficial 🏆👏 pic.twitter.com/ZKRyO207G9 — Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) May 5, 2025 said: “We have done our research and they have scored lots of goals We had to devise a game plan to restrict their space and keep it (the ball) in front of us as long as we could “Then we had to try and enjoy our moments with the ball I thought we were excellent in the first half in transition I thought there were moments where we could have controlled the game with the ball a little bit better They are a good team and it’s not to be underestimated the powerful result we have had today “The lads have found a way so it’s another one to tick off they’ve won and they’ve had a lot of people watching them City under-18s head coach Oliver Reiss said after the defeat: “It was a tough game but I’m very proud of my lads for reaching this final and having the opportunity to play a game like this “We could see we were struggling to deal with special situations in this game in front of this crowd and we need more games like this in the future It’s the best way to develop the players.” Jacob is a football reporter covering Aston Villa for The Athletic. Previously, he followed Southampton FC for The Athletic after spending three years writing about south coast football, working as a sports journalist for Reach PLC. In 2021, he was awarded the Football Writers' Association Student Football Writer of the Year. Follow Jacob on Twitter @J_Tanswell Villa Park players look on before Friday’s Crestview League game Villa Park High School starting pitcher Jake Nobles made a successful return to the mound as he allowed only two runs over four innings and the Spartans pounded out 15 hits in an 11-2 Crestview League baseball victory over Foothill Friday afternoon at Foothill who earned his fifth victory of the season made his first start since returning from a bicep injury a month ago He allowed two hits and struck out two as Villa Park notched its eighth consecutive victory “It feels great to get back on the mound after my injury,” said Nobles His velocity was consistently in the upper 80s and I stayed with it even when I got behind in the count I knew if I threw strikes my defense would have my back.”   7-3) are tied with Cypress for first place in league and have an opportunity to a share of the title if they can beat El Dorado twice next week Cypress plays two games next week against El Modena 5-7) has lost six of their last seven games The Knights finish the regular season schedule with a non-league game against Dana Hills on Monday The Knights are currently in fourth place in league and still have hopes of making the playoffs Shawn Romero and Ezra Ornelas gave Villa Park a big boost offensively as the pair combined to go seven for eight so I made adjustments and I’m seeing the ball very well right now,” said Romero and we’ve are getting good at bats and playing well as a team.” Villa Park jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning Robles knocked in a run on an infield ground out and Ornelas blasted an RBI single to right to give the Spartans the early lead “I feel like I have a good approach at each at bat,” said Ornelas “They didn’t throw me any fastballs in the three games against them and I’m seeing the spin on the ball.” Val Lopez doubled Romero home in the second inning as Villa Park upped its lead to 5-0 Nobles smashed a one-out double and Ornelas followed with an RBI single Aidan Young drove both runners’ home with a two-run single making it 8-0 The Knights got on the board in the bottom of the third inning when Aidan Colburn doubled in two runs with a hard shot down the third base line Foothill missed a golden opportunity to capitalize further when Nobles retired Evrett Rycroft on a fly out to left for the final out The Spartans added a run in the fourth and Gunner Santillo’s RBI infield hit in the fifth increased Villa Park’s lead to 10-2 Romero’s RBI single in the seventh closed out the Spartans scoring.  Cade Cowie pitched the final three innings for Villa Park and gave up only one hit Spartans Coach Burt Call was extremely pleased with his team’s performance “We scored early runs today and when you do that you give your team more confidence,” said Call Today Jake was throwing strikes and Shawn and Erza had good at bats and had clutch hitting.” Foothill coach Chris Price remained upbeat “All season long we have pitched and played good defense but today we failed and that was the difference,” said Price We had some good at bats today and hit the ball hard several times —Villa Park scored runs in six of seven innings — Foothill celebrated Mother’s Day for the moms of the players A brief ceremony was held following the game paying tributes to the players mothers An arson attempt occurred Saturday at a Villa Park cannabis dispensary. At about 4:10 p.m. Saturday, Villa Park police and fire departments responded to an alarm call to Cannabist, 133 E. Roosevelt Road, Villa Park. Officers saw the store’s front window had been damaged and they smelled gas inside, police said. Reviewing the store’s surveillance video, they saw a possible male suspect approach the store wearing all black clothing and a face mask, carrying an object. The person broke the window and threw what appeared to be a Molotov cocktail inside, police said. The flame quickly went out after landing in the store, and the person ran away, police said. The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information about it is asked to call Villa Park Police at 630-834-7447. https://www.dailyherald.com/20250504/news/arson-attempt-fails-at-villa-park-dispensary/ Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network #UpTheVilla WDHN - wdhn.com This was not the way Arsenal wanted to prepare for the Champions League semifinal against Paris Saint-Germain. Ahead of Wednesday’s crucial second leg in Paris, Mikel Arteta’s team squandered another lead and lost to Bournemouth 2-1 in the Premier League on Saturday. PSG also lost by the same score against Strasbourg but the context was different. PSG, leading 1-0 after the first leg against Arsenal, has already wrapped up the Ligue 1 title and coach Luis Enrique rested front-line players. While Arsenal’s title hopes were ended last week, its bid to be runner-up for the third year in a row was under threat from Manchester City and Newcastle, and even Champions League qualification is not yet certain. Defeat at home to Bournemouth continued its alarming domestic slump in the second half of the season. Arsenal has won only three of its last 10 league games and just one of the last five. Blowing the lead against Bournemouth was the fourth time in five league games that Arsenal has dropped points from a winning position. Declan Rice opened the scoring but Bournemouth turned the game on its head after the break. Dean Hujsen headed the visitor level from a corner and Evanilson poked in the winner from close range eight minutes later. “We had so many open situations, big spaces, big opportunities to score, and we didn’t,” Arteta said. “When we have them we didn’t kill them, we give them hope, and then they score from set-pieces. It became very chaotic.” Bournemouth completed a league double against Arsenal following a 2-0 win in October. Arsenal is three points ahead of City with three rounds to go. Fourth-placed Newcastle is five behind Arsenal with a game in hand. Youri Tielemans kept Aston Villa in the hunt for Champions League qualification. The midfielder’s first-half header sealed a 1-0 win over Fulham that moved seventh-placed Villa level on points with Chelsea in fifth and Nottingham Forest in sixth. Villa bounced back after losing the FA Cup semifinal against Crystal Palace a week earlier. “We wanted that win so badly in front of our fans, especially after last week,” Tielemans said. “This was a massive win for us.” The top five teams qualify for next season’s Champions League and just four points separate third-placed Manchester City and Villa. Tielemans headed in powerfully from an early corner but Villa could not extend its lead. Substitute Donyell Malen hit the bar in stoppage time. Villa was a Champions League quarterfinalist this season after a 41-year absence from Europe’s top club competition. But its season has come off the rails in recent weeks after being eliminated from the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain, losing to top-five rival Manchester City and being knocked out of the FA Cup. Returning to the Champions League would end the season on a high. “We’re not favorites because other teams are in front of us, but we can continue to dream for it, playing strongly to take again the Champions League,” manager Unai Emery said. “The real objective is for us to be in Europe, and after today we are close to being in there.” Leicester won for the first time since January by beating last-placed Southampton 2-0. With both teams already relegated, there was little but pride at stake at King Power Stadium and Leicester gave its fans some rare cheer with only its fifth league win. Club great Jamie Vardy — leaving at the end of the season — scored in the 17th and Jordan Ayew added the second from a free kick just before halftime. Leicester’s last win was on Jan. 26 against Tottenham. Southampton’s 28th loss of a miserable campaign could see it equal Derby’s record for the lowest points total in a Premier League. Derby ended the 2008-09 campaign with 11 points. With three rounds remaining, Southampton has 11 points. Relegated Ipswich fought back from 2-0 down to draw with Everton 2-2. Beto and Dwight McNeil put Everton in control in the Merseyside club’s penultimate game at Goodison Park before it moves to a new stadium. But Julio Enciso’s stunning long-range effort before the break sparked a comeback for Ipswich. Substitute George Hirst leveled with a far post header. Manor Soloman scored in added time to win the second division title for Leeds. A 2-1 comeback win against Plymouth saw Leeds edge Burnley by goal difference at the top of the Championship. Both teams were promoted to the Premier League with 100 points. Burnley started the final day of the Championship in second place and looked set to be crowned champion by beating Millwall 3-1. That was until Soloman’s dramatic late goal for Leeds in the first minute of added time. Coventry and Bristol City joined Sheffield United and Sunderland in the playoffs for the last promotion spot. Luton Town, a top flight team last season, suffered back-to-back relegations after losing to West Brom 5-3, and will play in the third tier of English soccer. James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. What started off shaky in the beginning resulted in a silverware triumph It proved to be an ideal setting at Villa Park as Jimmy Shan's under-18 Aston Villa side earned a 3-1 win over Manchester City and with it the FA Youth Cup final victory Sam Proctor is a large reason why Villa were in this position in the first place His penalty saves in the semi-final paved the way for the young Villans to be in this position in the first place that saw the visiting City side grab an early 1-0 lead At all levels a mistake that directly leads to an error so early on can sometimes cause things to unravel and only a few minutes later equalized off a corner from TJ Carroll as Cole Brannigan gave Villa the lead through a beautiful volley in the upper left corner Set pieces proved to be a major advantage for the young Villans throughout the match. They converted their chances from them and Brannigan's strike came off a clearance from a City clearance from a corner play the Manchester side looked to control possession and break down the home team the hosts proved very difficult to breakdown and the attack of the visitors could not fully materialize Then on the counter, urged on by the strong support of well over 25,000 supporters they always looked threatening to put the match out of hand Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba produced another stunner with his shot that found the bottom left of the net City tried to grab one back late, but the efforts of Teddy Bloomfield played a huge hand in ensuring that the two-goal lead was preserved. The full-time whistle echoed through VP, and the likes of Morgan Rogers and Jacob Ramsey were seen celebrating on the pitch with the newly crowned FA Youth Cup champions © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Sam Proctor is a large reason why Villa were in this position in the first place At all levels Set pieces proved to be a major advantage for the young Villans throughout the match. They converted their chances from them Then on the counter, urged on by the strong support of well over 25,000 supporters City tried to grab one back late, but the efforts of Teddy Bloomfield played a huge hand in ensuring that the two-goal lead was preserved. The full-time whistle echoed through VP, and the likes of Morgan Rogers and Jacob Ramsey were seen celebrating on the pitch with the newly crowned FA Youth Cup champions PASADENA - The public is invited to attend the Villa Parke Youth Soccer League (VPYSL) Inauguration Parade on Saturday The ceremony is an official kick off to the VPYSL soccer season and will be held on the Villa Parke turf field located on the corner of Parke St adjacent to the Villa Parke Community Center at 363 East Villa St The parade will introduce approximately seventy participating teams of youth athletes ages 2-18 alongside their coaches and City of Pasadena officials The Villa Parke Youth Soccer League was established in 1989 and can host more than one thousand athletes as the City of Pasadena Parks Recreation and Community Services Department’s largest and most popular youth sports league For additional questions regarding the parade contact the Villa Parke Community Center at (626) 744-6530 Register online for youth sports programs and other recreation activities at CityOfPasadena.net/Reserve. Stay up to date by following us on Facebook and Instagram at @PasadenaParksandRec Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Aidan Young had a big day at the plate for Villa Park Thursday Villa Park High School’s baseball team improved its overall record to 18-5 with a 6-3 victory over Bishop Amat Thursday at Villa Park Owen Young came on in relief to earn the win for Villa Park Jake Nobles got the save against a talented Bishop Amat team (19-5) Villa Park was led offensively by Aidan Young who was 3 for 4 with a run scored who was 2 for 3 with a run scored and a double Villa Park resumes play with a non-league game Saturday at 11 a.m The Spartans (5-3 in league) then have a two-game Crestview League series with Foothill next week Send baseball news to timburt@ocsportszone.com Aston Villa's Youri Tielemans scores the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Fulham at Villa Park scores the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Fulham at Villa Park and Fulham's Kenny Tete battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Fulham at Villa Park Leeds United's Ethan Ampadu and teammates celebrate with the trophy after being crowned champions following the English Football League Championship soccer match against Plymouth Argyle and Leicester City's Oliver Skipp in action during the English Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and Southampton at the King Power Stadium Ipswich Town's Julio Enciso celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Ipswich Town Ipswich Town's Julio Enciso shoots towards goal Arsenal's Martin Odegaard leaves the field at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at Emirates stadium in London Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at Emirates stadium in London Bournemouth players celebrate at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Bournemouth at Emirates stadium in London This was not the way Arsenal wanted to prepare for its Champions League semifinal clash with Paris Saint-Germain Ahead of Wednesday’s crucial second leg in Paris Mikel Arteta’s team squandered a latest lead to lose 2-1 against Bournemouth in the Premier League PSG also lost by the same score against Strasbourg on Saturday leading 1-0 after the first leg against Arsenal Arsenal’s title hopes were ended last week but its position as runner-up for the third year in a row is now under threat This was not the way Arsenal wanted to prepare for the Champions League semifinal against Paris Saint-Germain Ahead of Wednesday's crucial second leg in Paris Mikel Arteta's team squandered another lead and lost to Bournemouth 2-1 in the Premier League on Saturday PSG also lost by the same score against Strasbourg but the context was different has already wrapped up the Ligue 1 title and coach Luis Enrique rested front-line players While Arsenal's title hopes were ended last week its bid to be runner-up for the third year in a row was under threat from Manchester City and Newcastle and even Champions League qualification is not yet certain Defeat at home to Bournemouth continued its alarming domestic slump in the second half of the season Arsenal has won only three of its last 10 league games and just one of the last five Blowing the lead against Bournemouth was the fourth time in five league games that Arsenal has dropped points from a winning position Declan Rice opened the scoring but Bournemouth turned the game on its head after the break Dean Hujsen headed the visitor level from a corner and Evanilson poked in the winner from close range eight minutes later Bournemouth completed a league double against Arsenal following a 2-0 win in October Arsenal is three points ahead of City with three rounds to go Fourth-placed Newcastle is five behind Arsenal with a game in hand Youri Tielemans kept Aston Villa in the hunt for Champions League qualification The midfielder's first-half header sealed a 1-0 win over Fulham that moved seventh-placed Villa level on points with Chelsea in fifth and Nottingham Forest in sixth Villa bounced back after losing the FA Cup semifinal against Crystal Palace a week earlier “We wanted that win so badly in front of our fans especially after last week," Tielemans said The top five teams qualify for next season's Champions League and just four points separate third-placed Manchester City and Villa Tielemans headed in powerfully from an early corner but Villa could not extend its lead Substitute Donyell Malen hit the bar in stoppage time Returning to the Champions League would end the season on a high “We’re not favorites because other teams are in front of us playing strongly to take again the Champions League,” manager Unai Emery said “The real objective is for us to be in Europe and after today we are close to being in there.” Leicester won for the first time since January by beating last-placed Southampton 2-0 there was little but pride at stake at King Power Stadium and Leicester gave its fans some rare cheer with only its fifth league win Club great Jamie Vardy — leaving at the end of the season — scored in the 17th and Jordan Ayew added the second from a free kick just before halftime Southampton's 28th loss of a miserable campaign could see it equal Derby’s record for the lowest points total in a Premier League Derby ended the 2008-09 campaign with 11 points Relegated Ipswich fought back from 2-0 down to draw with Everton 2-2 Beto and Dwight McNeil put Everton in control in the Merseyside club's penultimate game at Goodison Park before it moves to a new stadium But Julio Enciso's stunning long-range effort before the break sparked a comeback for Ipswich Substitute George Hirst leveled with a far post header Manor Soloman scored in added time to win the second division title for Leeds A 2-1 comeback win against Plymouth saw Leeds edge Burnley by goal difference at the top of the Championship Both teams were promoted to the Premier League with 100 points Burnley started the final day of the Championship in second place and looked set to be crowned champion by beating Millwall 3-1 That was until Soloman's dramatic late goal for Leeds in the first minute of added time Coventry and Bristol City joined Sheffield United and Sunderland in the playoffs for the last promotion spot suffered back-to-back relegations after losing to West Brom 5-3 and will play in the third tier of English soccer James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. 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Getty ImagesPublished2 May 2025Villa Park will host England's 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Andorra in September It will be the first time in 20 years Aston Villa's ground has hosted an England men's match since a goalless draw against the Netherlands in 2005 England manager Thomas Tuchel said: "We are excited to play at Villa Park - another stadium full of history "I know from my own visits to the stadium this season that it is capable of creating an outstanding atmosphere and is located close to St George's Park "We hope to be able to generate another special atmosphere and create a memorable occasion for all fans." Aston Villa climbed back into the race to qualify for the Champions League as Youri Tielemans sealed a crucial 1-0 win against Fulham on Saturday Unai Emery's side couldn't afford anything less than a victory at Villa Park as the battle for a top five finish in the Premier League approaches a dramatic climax Belgian midfielder Tielemans kept them in the hunt with a first half winner that moved seventh-placed Villa level on points with fifth-placed Chelsea and sixth-placed Nottingham Forest while Chelsea and Forest each have a game in hand Manchester City's win over Wolves on Friday had increased the pressure on Villa to get a result against Marco Silva's men and they rose to the challenge Villa produced a dismal display in their 3-0 defeat against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-finals last weekend But following their memorable run to the Champions League quarter-finals Emery is desperate to lead Villa back into Europe's elite club competition next season Villa were without Marcus Rashford after he flew to Dubai to start his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury that is likely to rule him out for the rest of the season Ollie Watkins regained his place as Villa's centre-forward in Rashford's absence Watkins had admitted he was angry to be reduced to a substitute role in both legs of Villa's Champions League quarter-final loss against Paris Saint-Germain Watkins had an early chance to make his point to Emery There was no need for Villa to regret that miss as they took the lead in the seventh minute John McGinn whipped over a corner and Tielemans rose highest to power a header beyond Bern Leno Villa appealed in vain for a penalty after Watkins tumbled under Antonee Robinson's shoulder barge Raul Jimenez couldn't get the finishing touch on Sasa Lukic's free-kick as Fulham threatened for the first time Jimenez went close again with a curler from distance just before the interval Watkins miscued a golden opportunity from Matty Cash's early ball in the second half Ryan Sessegnon thought he had equalised with a close-range effort but VAR intervened to disallow it for offside frittering away a chance with just Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez to beat Leno denied Watkins with a smart save from the striker's snap-shot Villa were never comfortable however and Cash made a superb goal-line clearance to keep out Joachim Andersen's close-range effort Donyell Malen drilled against the crossbar in stoppage-time but Villa had done just enough to remain in the Champions League chase Among the replacements, perhaps only Kyra Cooney-Cross made a case to feature in the final, potentially as a tactical option to disrupt Barça’s midfield. Stina Blackstenius, who had a decent game, could perhaps be considered from the start if Arsenal wish to stretch the Spanish side’s high line. The starting XI was: Manuela Zinsberger; Katie Reid, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Steph Catley, Katie McCabe; Kyra Cooney-Cross, Mariona Caldentey; Beth Mead, Victoria Pelova, Chloe Kelly; Stina Blackstenius. The key takeaway was stark: too many changes led to disorganisation. Arsenal reverted to familiar failings, conceding repeatedly on the counter. The absence of fluency in defensive transitions was glaring. And yet, Slegers had few other viable options. Fatigue and injury risk made rotation essential following an emotionally and physically draining European semi-final. If Fox had played and picked up an injury, Slegers would be slammed for not resting her. The same logic applied to McCabe and Caldentey, both of whom looked off the pace and needed a rest. The team lacked cohesion. Some individuals performed acceptably; others were well below par. And fans scapegoating Zinsberger again is tiring. A legitimate question remains around whether the club needs a new number two goalkeeper, someone good enough to offer cover without unsettling Daphne van Domselaar. But such profiles are rare, and fewer still are available. So, Chelsea won the league again, this time without any team managing to take the title race to the final day, unlike in previous seasons. They remain unbeaten in the WSL, though their vulnerabilities were exposed in the 8–2 aggregate defeat to Barcelona. Their 1–0 win at Manchester United also had implications for Arsenal, as it keeps second place, and with it Champions League qualification, in the Gunners’ hands. Direct entry into the 2025–26 League phase is still possible. Should Arsenal win the Champions League, they will qualify automatically. A second-place league finish would also secure entry to the third qualifying round, with third place meaning a tougher second-round path. Next up is Brighton away on May 5. One more point might be enough to clinch qualification ahead of the final home match against Manchester United. From there, the focus will turn fully to Barcelona in Lisbon. Slegers and her staff know the performance level must rise to 100% if they are to return from Portugal with the trophy. The 27-year-old Manchester United player fell down the pecking order under Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford and Marcus Rashford completed a loan move away Aston Villa signed Rashford in the January transfer window and the Premier League club did not have to pay a loan fee for the United loanee back in February. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Marcus Rashford (@marcusrashford) The large majority of Rashford’s United wages are reportedly being covered by Villa during his loan spell and the club have the option to buy him for a £40m fee Rashford has turned his fortunes around at Villa Park and the United forward has climbed back into the England team under Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel The England international has netted four times and picked up six assists in 17 matches for Villa across all competitions under Unai Emery in the 2024-25 campaign READ MORE: Ruben Amorim says Man Utd player ‘fought all’ match vs Brentford, despite one major criticism over his performance Manchester United star Marcus Rashford could miss the remainder of his Aston Villa loan spell after he picked up a hamstring injury during his time at Villa Park According to BBC Sport, the Three Lions ace flew out to Dubai in late April and Rashford is taking part in a recovery programme in the Middle East. Rashford could return for Villa before the end of the season and the United attacker is in a race to recover ahead of England’s World Cup qualifiers in June. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Marcus Rashford (@marcusrashford) The Villa forward took to social media and Rashford shared a video of himself submerging in a water bath amid his rehabilitation for his muscular injury “Recovery,” Rashford posted as the caption along with adding a flexing emoji and an ice club emoji Emiliano Martinez was spotted in the comments and the 32-year-old Argentina international sent a touching message to United and England player Rashford READ MORE: Antony sends perfect five-word message after sensational winner for Real Betis vs RCD Espanyol, Man Utd loanee did hold back Speaking ahead of Aston Villa’s 1-0 win over Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday, Unai Emery is hopeful that Rashford will return before the season is done “For tomorrow, he [Rashford] is not available,” Emery said at his pre-match press conference last Friday, as per The Independent “He is working his comeback as soon as possible but it is still weeks to be available or not with us for the rest of the season Rashford is under contract with United until 2028 and it remains unclear if the Villa player could play again for the Red Devils under United manager Ruben Amorim 2025Steven HardestyAssistant Scouting Director The 2025 California high school baseball season is quickly approaching and Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and there are some very talented players and teams across California Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in their respective CIF Section Championship Game but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview these individual programs across California We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews eventually releasing our Preseason Power 25 rankings Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across California Each week we will be releasing our Power 25 Our 2025 preseason coverage continues today with a preview of the Villa Park Spartans. High School: Villa Park SpartansHead Coach: Burt CallCIF Section: Southern SectionDivision: Division 1 (2024)2024 Record (Playoff Finish): 18-12 (CIF Playoffs-2nd Round-D1) Key Players Lost: Justin Tims and Aaron Sambath Returning Pitchers: 3+ Team Strengths: 5 Returning Starters in the field We will swing the bat well with Aidan Young and Nate Lewis leading the offense + '25 C Shawn Romero Pepperdine Commit + '25 1B/RHP Val Lopez + '25 3B/RHP Jake Nobles  + '26 OF Aidan Young + '26 OF/LHP Dominic Gutierrez + '27 Owen Dunne + '27 Ralph Ramirez + '27 Brady Wolfe + '27 Alex Lopez  Offense will be key to the success for the Spartans in 2025 with 5 returning pieces from their 2024 lineup fronted by Aidan Young and Nate Lewis as the key pieces to making the offense go Add in a strong defensive group if the Spartans are able to throw the ball to their potential on the mound the have a chance to put together a very strong season and timely hitting have been staples of Burt Call coached teams for as long as he's been a head coach and you can expect more of the same from the 2025 Villa Park Spartans With a lineup that features several key returning pieces the Spartans will go as far as their pitching rotation will take them They should be able to score runs in bunches in what will be a very competitive Crestview League once again and should once again find themselves in the mix for a league title at the end of the season If the quality sophomores can produce in time for league play the Spartans will in prime position for another playoff push." - Les Lukach + Follow Villa Park on X: @VPHS_Baseball+ Find more team previews on the Prep Baseball California Season Previews homepage + Prep Baseball California on X+ Prep Baseball California on Instagram+ Prep Baseball California on Facebook+ Prep Baseball California on YouTube           by | Apr 15, 2025 | News, Touring | 0 comments Anthrax will reunite with Black Sabbath for the first time in nearly twenty years at the upcoming Back to the Beginning concert on Saturday The two bands last shared a stage in 2005 at the UK’s Download Festival. Their history together dates back to 1986, when Anthrax supported Sabbath on the Seventh Star arena tour, Anthrax’s first-ever arena run. Anthrax will also join Slayer this summer for two UK shows so instrumental in the sound of Anthrax back in the day we wanted to do a B-side of a Black Sabbath song ‘ Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’ was the song that we chose my sister took me to the record store and I got one of those iron-on Black Sabbath t-shirts she made my sister take me back to the store and return it She would not have it in the house because it had the ‘666’ on it I was still a Black Sabbath fan so I had to kind of keep it hidden from my mom.” “I discovered Black Sabbath when I was about eight years old sitting in my uncle’s room at my grandparents’ house had a big vinyl collection and blacklight posters all over his walls and I thought he was the coolest dude in the world pull records out and he’d play them for me I remember pulling out this record that said ‘Black Sabbath’ on it so I asked him ‘what’s Black Sabbath?’ And he said they’re acid rock…” and I didn’t know what that meant…I thought maybe that was the terminology back then for a genre with the sound effects and the rain and the bell and then the band kicks in… there’s nothing like it heaviest thing I’d ever heard in my life when that song ‘Black Sabbath’ kicks in I started playing guitar when I was about 10 so I’d try and figure out how to play ‘Iron Man’ or ‘Paranoid.’ Just listening to the records Tony Iommi was essentially my guitar teacher.” “I’m definitely a huge Sabbath fan and over the years I have covered many Sabbath and Ozzy songs We toured with Sabbath on the ’86 tour and we were just overwhelmed to be part of it That Anthrax was asked to be part of Sabbath’s ‘Back To The Beginning’ concert is quite a big honor.” “I heard about Sabbath through my friends at school I thought the album cover was scary as hell is still my favorite because it was my introduction to them and I’m honored now to say he’s a friend Geezer was and still is one of my main influences on bass He always puts beautiful musicality & melody into everything he plays “It’s an honor to be part of this show and I’m very grateful to Black Sabbath & Sharon Osbourne for asking us to be part of it.” I was an Ozzy fan first because I grew up in the ’80s I usually get the band’s greatest hits or some kind of compilation But my first Black Sabbath album was Sabotage which is actually my favorite Sabbath record Sabotage was a little darker than the others and I would listen to it all the way through as soon as I put it on A good friend of mine and I went to the same college and we’d be up until three or four in the morning just listening to Sabotage and then having to get up for school the next day “Little Lord Fentanyl,” featuring a guest performance from Maynard James Keenan (Tool The track marks the band’s first release since 2022’s Conspiranoid EP The single also introduces new drummer John.. Sleep Token have unveiled “Damocles,” the final single from their upcoming album Sleep Token will embark on their first-ever sold-out U.S Linkin Park have shared a visualizer for their latest single “Unshatter.” The song is one of two new tracks featured on the upcoming deluxe edition of their comeback album From Zero 2025 New & Noteworthy is Metal Insider’s weekly column highlighting some of the newest rock and metal releases coming out each week The final New Music Friday of April will see the return of Billy Idol New & Noteworthy is Metal Insider’s weekly column highlighting some of the newest rock and metal releases coming out each week Kicking off April’s release schedule are new albums from the likes of Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs The final New Music Friday of March sees highly anticipated albums from The Darkness Privacy Policy Have news you think would fit on Metal Insider? Send us a message at: tips@metalinsider.net How to watch the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Fulham Aston Villa will take on Fulham in the Premier League at Villa Park on Saturday their eyes will be on claiming a ticket to European competitions next season Fulham are 10th in the standings and will be riding on the confidence from a win over Southampton in their most recent outing GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch The match will be shown live on Fubo, Sling, DirecTV, UNIVERSO and USA Network in the US. Live updates can be found here on GOAL If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sport The match will be played at Villa Park on Saturday with kick-off at 7.30 am ET for fans in the US Unai Emery has a full squad at his disposal with no injury or suspension concerns though Aston Villa still face a busy schedule in the lead-up to this fixture They will be without Marcus Rashford for the remainder of the season due to a hamstring injury a significant blow given his influence as Unai Emery’s preferred centre forward Harry Wilson is expected to be back in contention Fulham come into the match sitting eighth in the Premier League aiming to close the gap on Villa and keep their hopes of European qualification alive but secured a morale-boosting 2-1 win over Southampton in their last league outing Rodrigo Muniz and Antonee Robinson remain doubtful with knocks and knee issues More questions are being asked of Emi Martinez’s future at Aston Villa with a raid on Real Madrid for a new goalkeeper being speculated on Villa Park players and coaches celebrate after Wednesday’s game vs Villa Park High School’s baseball team capped a successful week at the Ryan Lemmon Invitational defeating Pacifica 4-0 at the Great Park Stadium to capture third place in the 19-team tournament Spartan pitchers Jack McGuire and Val Lopez combined to limit Pacifica to just two hits McGuire (3-1) allowed two hits and struck out six to get the win “This game was really good for us,” said Villa Park Coach Burt Call “I thought Jack settled down and we made some good plays behind him defensively early in the game to kind of minimize some of their threats and then I think we executed a bunt and Aidan Young came up with the huge triple for us I’m very proud of the way they played and competed.” The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning The Spartans Joseph Ramirez was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning Ezra Ornelas followed with a single and Austin Park sacrificed the runners over Young followed with a booming triple to left center field to drive in two runs Shawn Romero drove in the other run on a groundout “I’m seeing the ball pretty well I’m just getting under a lot of stuff,” said Young a junior outfielder who is the leadoff hitter I was just trying to get my teammates to get going and get something in I’m just really proud of my team and my pitching that was our main highlight of the tournament “Jack McGuire is one of my best friends Villa Park (13-4) added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning Ornelas singled and Park drove in a run on a groundout Pacifica (5-12) had two runners on in the second fourth and sixth innings but could not come up with a key hit to break the shutout Leadoff hitter Karson Mau’u had a single and a double for the Mariners who won their first three games of the tournament The Mariners were unable to take advantage of six walks by Villa Park Starting pitcher Trent Kinkade pitched four shutout innings for Pacifica before Villa Park scored Tommy Hadden and Anthony Rodriguez finished on the mound Villa Park just missed a chance to compete in the final of the tournament “That’s unfortunate but we enjoy playing in the Ryan Lemmon Tournament,” he said “It’s awesome and you play great teams and you get to play in a great facility We’re proud of the way our guys competed and going 4-0 in the tournament.” The tournament was sponsored by Guy Lemmon’s Ryan Lemmon Foundation City’s youngsters are looking to retain the trophy they won last year Sport | Football Aston Villa and Manchester City face off this afternoon in the FA Youth Cup final City's Under-18s side are the favourites to retain the trophy they won last year but Villa will have home advantage as they look to win the competition for the first time since 2021 who have not lost in the FA Youth Cup since December 2023 have continued to look imperious this season scoring 19 goals across their five games en route to the final They head to Villa Park having last week wrapped up the Under-18 Premier League North title But against Villa they face somewhat of an unknown as these two teams have not played each other since 2020 Villa coach Jimmy Shan said those watching on will "see the best that Aston Villa and Manchester City have to offer." TV channel and live stream: The game will be broadcast on the FA Cup’s official YouTube channel for free Kick-off is at 3pm, with coverage expected to start shortly beforehand. Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin UK tourists face major travel shake-up as Dubai airport set to close VE Day veteran recalls bumping into his father during Normandy invasion Office Sought: Villa Park Village President Previous offices held: Village trustee since 2019 Is there a particular issue that motivates you what makes you the best candidate for the position I am running for village president because I am deeply committed to the future of Villa Park I have gained a deep understanding of our community’s needs and challenges and working together to achieve a common goal I have emphasized results-driven leadership ensuring that we make decisions that positively impact the community My focus is on driving economic growth by investing in spaces that will attract residents and visitors alike I believe in a future where Villa Park is economically thriving yet remains a place that residents feel proud to call home By focusing on key areas like infrastructure improvements I aim to ensure that Villa Park not only thrives but also maintains its character and charm and my dedication to serving the community make me the best candidate to lead Villa Park forward What is the most serious issue your community will face in coming years and how should leaders respond to it One of the most serious issues facing our community is the challenge of pension obligations and aging infrastructure These issues put a strain on our finances and Leaders must work collaboratively to explore alternative revenue sources we must prioritize fiscal responsibility to ensure we are managing taxpayer dollars efficiently By making strategic investments in our infrastructure we can ensure that the foundations of our community are solid and capable of supporting future growth It is also important that we advocate for state and federal funding to help alleviate the pressure on local resources By focusing on sustainable growth and financial discipline we can address these challenges without burdening residents with unnecessary tax increases How would you describe the state of your community's finances What should be the top priorities for spending during the next few years Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed The village’s finances are currently under strain due to pension obligations and aging infrastructure but I believe with thoughtful fiscal planning we can manage these challenges effectively The top priorities for spending should include modernizing our infrastructure and investing in public safety to ensure the well-being of our residents We must also invest in economic development initiatives that will generate revenue and create job opportunities we must also be prudent in curtailing non-essential spending such as major renovations to underutilized village buildings or luxury upgrades to municipal facilities should be deferred until we are on a more stable financial footing We must scrutinize all expenditures to ensure that taxpayer money is used in a way that directly benefits our community and supports long-term growth What do you see as the most important infrastructure project you must address what project(s) can be put on the back burner The most important infrastructure project to address is improving our roads and public transportation systems These are essential for the safety of residents and necessary for promoting long-term growth in Villa Park We can fund these projects through a combination of grants By working with state and federal programs we can secure additional resources to support these initiatives non-essential upgrades to village-owned vehicles or equipment that aren’t used regularly for emergency services or essential community functions can be deferred This will allow us to focus our resources on infrastructure projects that directly impact the safety and well-being of residents Describe your leadership style and explain how you think it will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your village board I believe in open communication and working closely with my fellow board members to find the best solutions for Villa Park and incorporating their feedback into decision-making I can ensure that the voices of residents are heard and represented I am committed to creating an environment of trust making sure that decisions are not just discussed but also implemented effectively My approach is to focus on what is best for Villa Park in both the short term and the long term I will ensure that every decision aligns with our community’s vision for sustainable growth and enhanced quality of life for all residents What’s one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet An untapped idea that could truly transform Villa Park is investing in our biking paths we create beautiful outdoor spaces for residents to enjoy while also making Villa Park a more attractive destination for businesses and new residents I believe there is an opportunity to develop a historic district that connects our rich history with these trails This combination of history and outdoor activity would attract tourism and enhance the quality of life for residents This initiative would promote both physical health and community engagement while positioning Villa Park as a forward-thinking Office Sought: Villa Park village board (Vote for 3) Previous offices held: Villa Park Village Trustee What is the most serious issue your community will face in the coming years and how should the village board respond to it and our fire station facilities have been the victim of years of deferred maintenance The fire department and EMS are the single most important department in our village with the second most important being our police department deserves to have our EMS able to respond quickly and with the tools necessary to address any given emergency I have advocated for our fire stations to go through an overhaul but even the most state-of-the-art facilities need the personal to carry out the vital services that our fire department and EMS provide This includes increasing the number of staff thereby reducing the reliance on overtime that burns out our current staff we need to provide incentives for training and recruitment and promotion from within Our current finance director is a temporary worker from GovHR and our current manager is disorganized I ask repeatedly for quarterly reports on revenue and expenses is that the 2023 audit was not completed in time to approve the 2025 budget we are frequently asked to waive the bidding requirements Larger purchases must go through a bidding process The top spending priority must be improving our fire stations and increasing their staffing on the manager’s pursuit of an estimated $50 million-plus railroad underpass What do you see as the most important infrastructure project the community must address Jefferson Pool’s useful life is approximately 10 years We should start funding a new pool by eliminating all our existing debt as quickly as reasonably possible We can then begin allocating ready cash funds into a conservative investment fund (CDs that we will have available to contribute to the pool when we are ready We can increase revenue by increasing the licensing fee for liquor licenses which includes the ability to have gaming machines and put that money directly into the future pool fund we must address the deferred maintenance on our government-owned buildings by budgeting an annual percentage of gross revenue on maintenance The estimated $50 million-plus railroad underpass must be tabled; $300,000 is budgeted for the project study alone Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy What is your style in such a setting to reach an agreement and manage local government Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your village board I have spent almost four years fighting for timely honest information and accurate legal advice This problem stems from a lack of respect from the village manager and current president for the authority of the six sitting trustees My style as a trustee is: 1.) All parties must agree to a set of rules those rules are Robert’s Rules of Order and the “Rules of Order and Procedures for the Board of Trustees” that I proposed and was adopted by the board 2.) All parties must follow the agreed rules 3.) Every decision maker is given the opportunity to advocate for their position The result of that vote means the issue is resolved and staff must follow the direction of the board Our democracy is based on an agreement that all parties agree to follow the same code of conduct with all members getting the same information and ability to advocate for their position What makes you the best candidate for the job I have a proven record as a trustee over the last four years Having been a local business owner and property developer in town I have firsthand experience of our permitting process and the workings of our village staff I have proposed and implemented changes to our code I serve as a check and compliment to our village attorney to ensure accurate and unbiased legal information is provided to the board The village attorney must work for the board at large and not only for the village manager or village president I have advocated for transparency and given voice to countless residents including commission meetings and special meetings are now recorded and accessible to our residents I have fought against misinformation and disinformation Everyone in our village and board must be treated equally and given an even playing field I propose having a dog park in Rotary Park (Wildwood and Monterey) It is an underutilized park that is centrally located and connected to our newly opened Tri-Trail path connection Villa Park would showcase access to three major trails; the Great Western Rotary Park is connected to all three paths which would allow local dog parents to walk to the park and avoid driving It could be funded entirely by donations and by charging a small annual user fee local businesses could advertise through banner type placards Infrastructure requirements would be very minimal and a small area with garbage and dog waste bags There is already a parking lot with a gazebo to offer shade that so many residents and surrounding communities could enjoy ExpandVilla Park firefighter Nicole Else will participate in the American Lung Association in Greater Chicago’s Fight For Air Climb in Oakbrook Terrace to help raise awareness and funds for lung health She will race up 660 stairs to the top of Oakbrook Terrace Tower in full gear A first-year Villa Park firefighter will be among more than 400 participants climbing the 660 stairs of the Oakbrook Terrace Tower on Sunday morning all to raise money for the American Lung Association The journey ascending 30 flights may be somewhat more difficult for Nicole Else because she has decided to complete the event in full firefighting gear something many of the first responder participants choose to do Else will participate in the event this year with one other fellow Villa Park firefighter a communications manager with the American Lung Association Killelea said events like these are important to firefighters because “they put their lungs and lives on the line for the community they serve so supporting lung health is a cause that hits close to home and impacts their daily life.” “Many first responders know someone who has been impacted by lung disease and climb in their honor,” she said The first responder teams are competing in a “friendly competition” for the Firefighter Challenge Award Drawing both beginners and competitive climbers the Fight For Air Climb is one of 40 fundraisers held across the country that bring together more than 20,000 individuals to raise money to fight lung disease Else said she is completing the event in full gear to honor other firefighters such as those who climbed the stairs of the World Trade Center buildings on 9/11 and also to challenge herself Else has been training on the firehouse stair climber in full gear “We had a lot of stair climbing as part of our training,” Else said Lung health is especially important to firefighters because through their work they are exposed to smoke chemicals and other substances that can be damaging to their lungs putting them at an increased risk for lung disease it will be her first time participating in the event she has raised nearly $1,100 for the American Lung Association I see a lot of patients with lung disease,” Else said she hopes to raise awareness about lung health The Oakbrook Terrace event is expected to raise more than $100,000 for the American Lung Association Else’s journey to becoming a firefighter came about in an unlikely way Unlike many firefighters, the Bensenville resident did not come from a family of paramedics or firefighters Else sold cars and worked as a 3D caricature artist for video games something she still dabbles in in her spare time Her connection with firefighting began because she lived near a firehouse in downtown Chicago “That was the first time I was really up close to the fire service,” Else said followed by paramedic school and the fire academy She became one of three female firefighters with the Villa Park Fire Department in April 2024 Since her fellow female Villa Park firefighters each have more than 10 years of experience Else said she “definitely can learn a lot from them.” March is Women’s History Month and March 8 is International Women’s Day and despite women’s long and impactful role in helping to battle fires and saving lives today only about 10% of all firefighters in the U.S For females who want to get involved in firefighting “A lot of women underestimate themselves and see the required physical standards” which are the same for male firefighters and think women are very capable of reaching that standard but you have to believe in your ability and be willing to put in the effort to get there whether it be working out or training more.” Else said one of the most enjoyable parts of her job is “getting out there every day and knowing what I am doing is making a positive impact on my community It gives me a purpose to make sure I am contributing back to the community and helping people.” the family-oriented environment of the firehouse is a huge benefit of the job To donate to Else’s team, visit https://shorturl.at/2FXvv. Office sought: Villa Park village board (Vote for 3) Occupation: Co-owner and operator of automotive repair shop Previous offices held: Vice president and president of District 4 PTA I believe that the most serious issue facing Villa Park in the coming years is the development within our village Although we currently have several projects for multifamily housing as well as other developments in the works Villa Park holds many opportunities to welcome in more large developers as well as small developers I feel there could be improvement in the process used for engaging and enticing these developers to choose Villa Park as the location they decide to build in Our village is uniquely situated where we are not as developed as our neighboring towns and this presents an opportunity for our village as well as developers large and small to bring exciting new businesses to the Villa Park area I would describe the state of Villa Park’s current community finances to be in a decent position I would say that we need to develop new revenue sources in order to keep property taxes low In speaking with Villa Park residents about their top concerns sidewalks and bike lanes should be of our top priorities for spending in the next few years Making sure our firefighters and first responders as well as our police officer departments are fully staffed is of upmost importance Largely I would say there are no areas that need to be curtailed but we could focus a little bit more on spending money wisely and getting more value for our tax dollars This can be achieved by better planning of projects and day-to-day management of our village budget The most important infrastructure project I see that the community of Villa Park must address is the roads Although our village has made great strides in the last 10 years with our roadways more effort needs to be applied toward our streets This is the number one concern majority of the residents I have spoken to have mentioned Partial funding could come from future development we are continuing to engage in I believe a project that could be put on the back burner would be the building of an underpass at our train station Although it would make things more convenient such a project would likely cost in excess of $50 million and require funding sources from other levels of government it is unfortunate that these levels of government appear to be cutting back on such funding therefore we could not rely on these funding sources which would be required for a project of this magnitude While working in a group setting to determine policy This makes it rewarding and also challenging at the same time I consider my style in this type of setting to having respect for each other’s opinions and time to speak during discussions helps to develop a willingness to listen and be open minded to other solutions Having a commitment toward ongoing learning and development with strong communication and interpersonal skills would allow for reaching agreements and managing local government I think that working collaboratively in a group setting to develop and reach mutual goals for our community with a panel of board members that individually bring a diversity of knowledge experiences and skills would prove to be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with our village board I own and operate an automotive repair business together with my husband on the northside of town This would make me the only in town business owner sitting on the board as well as my 15-plus years of mechanical experience budgeting and drafting contracts would be a positive impact to enhance the village board held a team leader role in customer service worked with attorney offices in reviewing legal documents and bankruptcies I held a vice president and president title for the District 4 PTA when I lived in Addison prior to Villa Park I started and headed a nonprofit fundraiser in my church community for a family whose child was battling leukemia listen and speak up for the residents’ concerns makes me the best candidate for village trustee Communication is key in a successful village and community Many residents I have talked to have stated anytime they have to deal with the village I will strive to work alongside the entire board the village management and village staff to implement a more structured and efficient communication and response time system between all of our residents By embracing the concept of being helpful and responding to our residents wherever possible while working alongside of them to address their concerns as well as their projects together we can work toward a more unified community Villa Park players (from left) Diego Perez Dakari Harris and Tristan Griffin led the Spartans to a win Friday Locked in a tight game on Friday night against Artesia High School after three quarters Villa Park’s boys basketball team knew it had to step up with defensive aggressiveness to close out a second round CIF Division 2A playoff game And the Spartans responded holding the Pioneers scoreless for over five minutes of the final period for a 47-36 victory at Artesia Dakari Harris led the way for Villa Park with 15 points and teammate Diego Perez recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds The Spartans (21-9) advance to the quarterfinals and will host St move it around better and we made shots,” said Harris who helped the Spartans win their fourth consecutive game and helped snap Artesia’s seven game winning streak “It’s a really good win on the road for us.” Perez had a bruising game as he was mixing it up on the boards at both ends of the floor “I have to give credit to Coach Ward (my center coach); he worked with me all summer to get me ready for the season,” said Perez who played with three fouls for much of the second half “He talks with me all the time and tells me to relax and settle down out there and don’t worry about making a mistake The hard work has led to our team chemistry improving so much from last year.” came into Friday’s contest having won 15 of their last 17 games and Malakhi Johnson forced 18 Pioneer turnovers and never let Artesia get into an offensive rhythm “Our team showed grit and character,” said interim coach Jesse Mercado who was filling in for head coach Kevin Reynolds we relaxed and didn’t worry about making the big play but made the right play We have great balance and on any given night It’s the number one aspect of our game that we must continue to work hard at.” the Spartans led 31-28 but surged ahead using a 13-2 run to start the final quarter Jed Cain-Graves drilled a 3-pointer to start the quarter a bucket by Perez and Harris and capped off by another basket by Perez to propel the Spartans to a 44-29 lead with 2:20 to play Artesia did not make a basket in the final quarter until Jovell Tate’s scored with 2:13 to play but Villa Park was well in control and cruised to the win “We stayed composed and didn’t let them get into our head,” said Griffin who scored eight points and helped the Spartans finish second in the Freeway League this season “Our coach told us it was going to be a tough battle coming into this game tonight and we expected it to be physical.”  Villa Park has won nine of its last 10 games The game started out very aggressive and physical and Villa Park led 12-10 after one quarter The Spartans had an opportunity to create separation in the second quarter as they held the Pioneers scoreless for over four minutes but Villa Park committed four turnovers during that span and settled for a 21-17 halftime lead Cain-Graves nailed a 3-pointer to give Villa Park a 28-21 lead at the 3:24 mark of the third quarter Griffin and Cayden Del Rosario collided while battling for a rebound Both crashed to the floor and remained down as play was stopped for several minutes Both players appeared to bump their heads against each other went to the bench on their own power and reentered the game a short time later Artesia finished the quarter on a 7-3 run and trailed 31-28 after three quarters.  CJ Okeke led the Pioneers with 13 points —-Villa Park defeated Holy Martyrs of Encino in an opening round game last Wednesday —Friday was the second time this season the Spartans have defeated Artesia —Los Angeles Clipper guard James Harden attended Artesia High and a large mural of his image is displayed on the gymnasium wall Villa Park Spartans after Friday’s league victory over Cypress Villa Park junior left fielder Dominic Gutierrez’s two-out grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning broke a tie game and propelled the Spartans to a 5-3 victory over Cypress in a thrilling Crestview League baseball game Friday afternoon at Villa Park 3-3) moved to within one game of first place in league behind Cypress and Foothill “When they intentionally walked the batter in front of me to load the bases I felt it was my time to shine,” said Gutierrez who belted his first career grand slam high over the right field fence and I didn’t know if it was gone right away but after it cleared the fence it felt amazing With the game tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning Joe Ramirez led off with an infield single and was sacrificed to second by Alex Lopez and Aidan Young was intentionally walked to load the bases for Gutierrez The left-handed swinging Gutierrez then blasted his first home run of the season off Cypress left-handed reliever Nick Nelson that gave the Spartans a four-run lead “He hadn’t gotten any hits off us in the series but he’s a good hitter and he hit a good pitch but maybe we threw one curve ball too many,” said Cypress Coach John Weber Scoop Romero also had a huge game for the Spartans going 4 for 4 with two doubles and two singles His fifth inning RBI double to right center scored Young Villa Park got outstanding relief pitching from sophomore right hander Logan Hoppie He came in relief to start the third inning and was relieved by Owen Smith after walking the first two Centurions batters in the seventh inning who allowed only two hits and struck out five in four innings of relief “I knew my defense had my back and the offense would come through 4-2) wouldn’t go down in the seventh without a battle After Smith relieved Hoppie with two on and no outs in the top of the seventh he quickly retired the first two batters he faced Connor Artasere and John Short clubbed RBI singles to cut the lead to 5-3 Artasere stole second base and moved to third on Short’s infield single Tyler Vladic came to bat with the tying run on first but the game ended when Short was thrown out by catcher Owen Dunne trying to steal second base “Coming into the game in a situation like that I just feel I’m better than them and I’m going to keep coming at them hard,” said Smith “It’s a big win for us and we’re in a tight race,” said Spartans Coach Burt Call “We got great relief pitching from Hoppie and Smith It was Dominic’s first homer of the season They intentionally walked a guy to get to him and I think that probably motivated him a bit we handled in-game adversity very well and I’m proud of our guys.” Gutierrez was involved in a controversial play in the bottom of the third inning Romero then blasted a shot to deep left center near the fence It appeared that Centurions left fielder Greg Prophet III made the catch The umpire called an out but then ruled that Prophet III had dropped the ball Gutierrez broke back to first base but was passed on the bases by Romero Gutierrez then raced to second base safely Both coaches came out and debated the call and the game was delayed for nearly 10 minutes Romero was ruled out for passing Gutierrez between first and second base and Gutierrez remained at second base Val Lopez followed with a walk and Gunner Santillo flied out to end the inning as Villa Park failed to score Young scored two runs and Ramirez had two hits and scored a run for the Spartans Garrett Rodriguez scored two runs and Artasere had three hits and two RBI including an RBI triple in the fifth inning that gave the Centurions a 1-0 lead Despite the loss Weber said his Cypress team still has sights on a league title down by four runs in the final inning we scored twice and had the tying runs on base I must remind myself at times that these are kids we didn’t take advantage of all the scoring opportunities we had early in the game.” In the wake of a high-speed collision and a takeover in the area Villa Park police warned people Sunday to stay away from North Avenue between Villa Avenue and Addison Road A collision and serious accident took place Friday evening in the area there was a takeover of North Avenue and Villa Avenue with vehicles operating in an unsafe manner Police said a crowd formed to block police from making an arrest there was also an unsubstantiated claim that a few people were displaying weapons “The police departments in the area will not be allowing any vehicles to park in other business lots or on residential streets,” the post said It warned there would be citations and parked vehicles would be towed It also warned drivers who flee from a lawful traffic stop can face a $900 fine adding police are prepared to spike the tires of any vehicle that attempts to flee we will do all we can to keep the public safe but with such large crowds and a few bad actors it will be a challenge We do not feel it is a safe environment for passersby We would ask you proceed with caution in the area or even avoid the area (as) much as possible this evening (Sunday),” the post read Black Sabbath have announced a mammoth farewell show at Villa Park Entitled Back To The Beginning: The Final Show it will feature the original Sabbath line-up of Ozzy Osbourne Geezer Butler and Bill Ward playing together for the first time in 20 years THE MARCH 2025 ISSUE OF UNCUT, STARRING WILCO, A FREE WILCO CD, JEFFERSON AIRPLANE, PATTERSON HOOD, THE WHITE STRIPES AND MORE IS AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW Ozzy Osbourne will also perform a brief solo set before fronting Black Sabbath for what is billed as his ‘final bow’ “It’s my time to go Back to the Beginning….time for me to give back to the place where I was born,” says Osbourne “How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love Back To The Beginning will feature support sets from Metallica Anthrax and Mastodon – plus appearances from the likes of Billy Corgan Tom Morello and Wolfgang Van Halen in what is described by music director Morello as “the greatest heavy metal show ever.” Tickets go on sale at 10am GMT on Friday February 14 from here All profits from the show will be shared equally between the following charities: Cure Parkinson’s Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children’s Hospice No thanks, I’m not interested!