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Leeds news LIVE updates as police cordon Harehills Park after 16-year-old boy stabbed | Robbery at York Road petrol station

A 16-year-old boy has been stabbed in Harehills while police have also put a cordon around a petrol station after a robbery.
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A teenager was seriously injured in a stabbing in Harehills last night.The 16-year-old man was found with a serious shoulder injury and taken to hospital by ambulance.

He is continuing to receive treatment, and his injuries are not life threatening.

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The victim reported being in the park with a male friend, also aged 16, when they were supposedly approached by a large group of black and Asian males who attacked them. The friend received minor injuries consisting of bruising.

A cordon is currently in place in the park for examination.

Separately, police were called to York Road after a robbery at a petrol station.

Scroll down for more updates.

Leeds news LIVE: Police at Crown Point Shopping Centre after ‘armed masked men with machete raid Superdrug’

“Due to a fire next to the track between Leeds and Wakefield Westgate the line is blocked.

“Services running through these stations will be cancelled or delayed by up to 20 minutes, with disruption expected until 5.30pm.”

Northern

Woman taken to hospital after fire broke out in retirement flat

A woman was taken to hospital after a fire broke out in her retirement flat in Leeds.

It happened in the bathroom of her Acre Court home in Acre Road, Middleton, at about 7.20pm on Tuesday, April 20.

Two crews from Hunslet and one from the Leeds station attended.

A fire investigation officer was also present.

The woman suffered smoke inhalation a was taken to hospital by ambulance.

A West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service spokesman said: “Fire in bathroom. Two hose reels, Four breathing apparatus and positive pressure ventilation used.

“One elderly lady suffered smoke inhalation, oxygen therapy administered by fire service personnel and casualty transferred to hospital by ambulance.

“Smoke detection installed and working.

“Two appliances from Hunslet and one from Leeds attended along with fire investigation officer.”

Boris Johnson welcomes withdrawals from European Super League

The Prime Minister has welcomed the announcements by English football clubs of their planned withdrawals from the proposed European Super League.

Boris Johnson tweeted: “I welcome last night’s announcement.

“This is the right result for football fans, clubs, and communities across the country. We must continue to protect our cherished national game.”

Super League considering next steps after England’s ‘big six’ confirm their exit

The dust is still settling after English clubs bowed to supporter pressure and reduced the controversial plans for a breakaway Super League to rubble.

On a dramatic Tuesday night Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea all confirmed they intended to withdraw from the project.

In response to their departures, the Super League announced early on Wednesday morning it is considering “appropriate steps to reshape the project”.

It said in a statement: “Despite the announced departure of the English clubs, forced to take such decisions due to the pressure put on them, we are convinced our proposal is fully aligned with European law and regulations as was demonstrated today by a court decision to protect the Super League from third party actions.

“Given the current circumstances, we shall reconsider the most appropriate steps to reshape the project, always having in mind our goals of offering fans the best experience possible while enhancing solidarity payments for the entire football community.

“The European Super League is convinced that the current status quo of European football needs to change. We are proposing a new European competition because the existing system does not work.

“Our proposal is aimed at allowing the sport to evolve while generating resources and stability for the full football pyramid, including helping to overcome the financial difficulties experienced by the entire football community as a result of the pandemic.”

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin welcomed the withdrawal of the English clubs from the planned breakaway league.

“I said yesterday that it is admirable to admit a mistake and these clubs made a big mistake. But they are back in the fold now and I know they have a lot to offer not just to our competitions but to the whole of the European game.

“The important thing now is that we move on, rebuild the unity that the game enjoyed before this and move forward together.”

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said the club “regret the anxiety and upset caused by the proposal” while Arsenal apologised for their “mistake”.

Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea were a little more prosaic in announcing their withdrawals with short statements.

Today’s Yorkshire Evening Post front page: “Keeping our ream alive”

This is today’s Yorkshire Evening Post front page on Wednesday, April 21.

Pick up a copy in your local shop or read online: https://app.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/

The Yorkshire Evening Post front page on Wednesday, April 21.The Yorkshire Evening Post front page on Wednesday, April 21.
The Yorkshire Evening Post front page on Wednesday, April 21.

Good morning and welcome to the Yorkshire Evening Post live blog on Wednesday, April 21.

Got a story you think we should know about? Get in touch on [email protected]

Boris Johnson to host meeting with football bosses and fans over Super League

Boris Johnson will host a round table with representatives from football governing bodies including the FA and the Premier League as well as fans’ representatives on Tuesday to discuss the proposed European Super League.

The so-called Big Six of the English Premier League faced a furious backlash after the unveiling of proposals for a breakaway tournament.

The Prime Minister promised football fans prior to Tuesday’s meeting he will do everything possible to give the “ludicrous” new league a “straight red”.

The Duke of Cambridge – who is the president of the Football Association – was among those who voiced his dismay at the “damage” the plan would do to the national game.

Writing in The Sun, the Prime Minister said he was “horrified” at the implications for clubs up and down the country which had a “unique place” at the heart of their communities.

In a direct message to fans, he said: “It is your game – and you can rest assured that I’m going to do everything I can to give this ludicrous plan a straight red.”

There were protests outside grounds around the country on Monday at the scheme put forward by Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham together with six leading Spanish and Italian clubs.

Fans of both Liverpool and Leeds gathered outside the Yorkshire club’s Elland Road stadium before their evening fixture while a plane flew overhead with a banner proclaiming “Say No To Super League”.

The plan has been roundly condemned by both the FA and the Premier League while Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has warned players who take part could be banned from representing their countries in the World Cup and Euros.

It is understood the Premier League has called its other 14 clubs to an emergency shareholders’ meeting on Tuesday morning, to which the so-called Big Six have not been invited.

There has been widespread anger at the failure of any of the wealthy overseas owners of the clubs involved to come forward to justify the plan, with accusations that it was being driven by greed.

Fans and former players alike lined up to condemn a scheme which they said would create a closed shop of elite teams which would not have to qualify for the competition and could not be relegated.

In the Commons on Monday, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said that in the first instance it would be for the football authorities to prevent the English clubs from going ahead with the Super League.

But, amid condemnation of the proposal from across the political spectrum, he said that if they were unable to do so, the Government would do “whatever it takes” to protect the national game.

He said they were examining every option “from governance to competition law to mechanisms that allow football to take place”.

Mr Dowden also announced that he was bringing forward a wider fan-led review of the game to be helmed by former sports minister Tracey Crouch.

The Duke of Cambridge, meanwhile, tweeted to say he shared the concerns of fans about “the damage it risks causing to the game we love”.

“Now, more than ever, we must protect the entire football community – from the top level to the grassroots – and the values of competition and fairness at its core,” he said.

The plan – which also includes the Spanish sides Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona and Italian clubs AC Milan, Juventus and Inter Milan – has support from investment bank JP Morgan, which will provide debt financing for the competition.

It is understood it will underwrite around six billion US dollars (£4.3 billion) in loans for teams involved.

It would see the breakaway teams create a competition to rival the Champions League, but it would not feature relegation or promotion.

Teams would play each other in midweek while still competing in their domestic leagues.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said it “cuts across all the things that make football great”.

Sir Keir, an Arsenal supporter, said: “It diminishes competition. It pulls up the drawbridge. It is designed for and by a small elite. But worst of all, it ignores the fans.”

Former sports minister Richard Caborn said the UK should consider removing foreign ownership of clubs in response to the proposed league.

“We need the following political actions: first, any football club playing outside the regulation of the FA should operate solely as a business and be subject to the regulations, taxation and collective selling and cartel rules applied to any commercial organisation,” the former Labour MP for Sheffield Central wrote in a letter to The Times.

“Second, an urgent review should be undertaken of the ownership of English football clubs to ascertain if their structure and accountability is in the best interest and long-term viability of English football.”

Liverpool’s James Milner hopes European Super League proposal does not go ahead

Liverpool midfielder James Milner is against the formation of a European Super League and insists the players have no control over the decision which could change the face of football.

Six Premier League sides – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham – are part of an initial group of 12 clubs seeking to establish a new 20-team continental competition “as soon as practicable”.

AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid have also signed up as founding clubs, with three more expected to follow before the inaugural season.

But the plan has provoked widespread outrage, with high-profile figures from football and politics uniting to condemn the proposals.

Milner is the first player who would be in line to play in the competition to speak out against it after he was asked for his opinion following Liverpool’s 1-1 Premier League draw at Leeds.

“There is a lot of questions,” the Leeds-born player told Sky Sports.

“I can only say my personal opinion, I don’t like it and hopefully it doesn’t happen. I can only imagine what has been said about it and I probably agree with most of it.

“I think for us we just try and concentrate on the game, there is obviously a lot going on, but for us we just have to try and be professional and concentrate on the game that is the only thing we can control.”