A well-spoken solicitor yesterday (Thurs) told how he has been mobbed in the street by England fans – because he is the

Which is which? (Roy on right)

spitting image of new boss ROY HODGSON.

Posh Neil Maybury, 58, bears an uncanny resemblance to the England boss – but could not sound more different.

While Roy is affectionately known as ‘Woy’ because of his difficulty pronouncing his r’s, public-school educated Neil admits fans are taken aback by his gold-plated accent.

Neil, a solicitor in intellectual property rights from Birmingham, has come face-to-face with Roy and is set to make a fotune from appearing as Roy’s official lookalike.

The father-of-four said: “I get stopped at least a couple of times a week but since Roy was made the England manager I get people coming up to me almost every day.

“I’ve been stopped at a cafe in Windermere, pubs in Lincolnshire and even in Majorca.

“It’s a real giggle.

“Even though I look like Roy, I don’t sound like him.

“Some people meet me and really think I am Roy – but then they hear me talk and realise I must be a lookalike.

“I have appeared as a Roy lookalike before but I have been warned that will probably increase now that he is England manager.”

Son Toby first noticed his dad shared the England manager’s distinctive owl-like looks after watching the future England boss interviewed on TV five years ago.

And he came face-to-face with the real Roy after bumping into him after a football match in 2009.

Neil added: “Toby and I were watching the football on TV when he said: ‘Dad, I’ve got to tell you, you bear a striking resemblance to Roy Hodgson’.

“Roy was manager of Fulham at the time and I was an Aston Villa fan and we finally met when they played in August 2009.

“It was extraordinary.

“The Fulham team were on their way out to go back on the coach and there was a seething throng of people.

“The door opened from the changing room and Roy immediately pointed his finger at me and smiled.

“We just chatted about the game, and I said ‘Roy, when you’re in the Midlands, I hope you don’t have the trouble I have when I’m in Fulham.’”

Neil was born in Birmingham and privately educated at #12,000-a-year King Edward’s School before studying law at the University of Birmingham.

He qualified as a solicitor in London with Clifford-Turner before returning to Birmingham as a partner with Pinsent & Co where he remained for 20 years.

Bizarrely, Neil and Roy share the same passions including tennis and opera.

On Neil’s personal website states he is patrol of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, chairman of the Spitfire Museum.

Neil, who is expert in protecting intellectual property, now charges #250 for appearances as Hodgson and another #500 to “say a few words”.
ENDS

Yesterday, John Hales the owner of Grand National winner Neptune Collonges has defended the sport following the tragic death of two horses. 

Over the weekend the Cosford-based businessman celebrated his win after the 11-year-old grey beat Sunnyhillboy in one of the tightest finishes the Grand National has ever seen.

However concerns over the safety of racing were raised after the deaths of Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised and According to Pete.

Mr Hales said: “The Grand National is part of British sporting heritage. It’s the greatest steeplechase in the world. Everyone must accept it’s a sport that has risks. Aintree couldn’t have done any more”.

Neptunes thrilling win at the weekend has been placed among Hales’ greatest achievements in racing, alongside the feats of legendary chaser One Man. 

The 11-year-old has claimed his place in the rich history of the most famous steeplechase in the world.

Neptune Collonges’ – who won the race by a nose – was a success for the 72-year-old owner following the death of his star performer One Man at Aintree in 1988.

Before his death One Man had built up an impressive collection of top National Hunt prizes on offer: winning two King George VI Chases at Kempton and the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

Reflecting on the success Hales said: “He sits up there with One Man. Both hoses have made history. One Man was a Champion Chaser. We have now won the Grand National which just leaves the Gold Cup. Then we will have own the lot”.

Overwhelmed by Saturday’s events, Hales admitted that he would have been delighted if Neptune Collognes has been pipped to glory in the tightest finish in Grand National history. 

He added: “My family was split over whether to run to him and when he came over the last, I had no comprehension he was going to win.

“All I could think of once he jumped the last is that he is safe, he is retired and he’s coming home. Then I heard the crowd building up to a crescendo and I saw them crossing the line both together.

“I was so proud of him and I would have been very happy to come second in the Grand National”. 

Jockey Daryl Jacob was praised by the owner for his performance, and revealed that it was the first time Neptune Collonges had jumped obstacles of that size. 

Neptune will return home to Hales’ daughter Lisa’s Shifnal farm.

Article by Charlotte Greenhalgh

Irelands leading MMA promotion Cage Contender have agreed a multi-event brand association deal with prominent e-tailer FIGHTSHOP.com

The deal which will see FIGHTSHOP.com benefit from the promotions prominent TV and press exposure as well as letting the online retailer engage with the CC faithful. Upcoming Cage Contender events will be branded as Cage Contender in association with www.FIGHTSHOP.com

FIGHTSHOP.com is one of the most dominant brands in the UK combat sports and fitness market and is undoubtedly the most ubiquitous brand in the combat sports market as a whole with strong trademarks and massive social media reach; you cannot search the web for combat sports products or information without coming across the FIGHTSHOP.com brand. It dwarfs all major competitors in its on line presence and is the exclusive distributor of one of the highest profile combat sports brands, SANDEE.

“I can see no better way for Ian Wright and his team at FIGHTSHOP.com to engage with the Irish MMA market simply because Cage Contender has the largest media footprint across all platforms in Irish MMA.

Importantly this deal is about more than just logo placement on canvas and posters, it’s about FIGHTSHOP.com engaging with our fan base in Ireland and further afield. We will be jointly working on further event based initiatives that will excite the Cage Contender fans” – John Ferguson, Cage Contender promoter

As well as prominent brand placement across a range of platforms this association will also see FIGHTSHOP.com have a dedicated sales portal in the soon to be released www.cagecontender.com website when it changes from its current .net home in late spring

“When I first acquired FIGHTSHOP.com in October 2011 I identified Ireland as a market that could offer steady growth. I’m happy that we have been able to complete a deal with Cage Contender, the largest MMA brand in that market. Everyone at FIGHTSHOP.com is excited about bringing our brand to Irish MMA fans through this association. – Ian Wright, CEO, FIGHTSHOP.com

A Twitter troll who angered thousands of football fans by posting abusive messages about Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov’s cancer diagnosis has apologised after being warned by police.

A tweet was posted last Friday from an account called KevinRooney1 calling the Bulgarian midfielder a “Villa c**t”.

It went on: “After what Villa fans were singing about Aliou Cisse’s family when majority died on a cruise I couldn’t care less about Petrov.”

In 2002, Senegalese footballer Cisse was devastated after several relatives died in the MV Joola ferry disaster off the coast of Gambia.

Another abusive tweet had also been deleted from the account’s timeline – along with a message saying: “That one’s for text not Twitter”.

West Midlands Police officers were alerted to the messages by furious Villa fans.

The force sent a message to the Twitter account holder, whose profile suggested they supported fierce local rivals Birmingham City, warning them they could have broken the law.

That prompted an apology from KevinRooney1, whose messages were also condemned by several Birmingham fans, ex-St Andrew’s favourite Michael Johnson and local radio pundit Tom Ross.

The account holder wrote: “I apologise for my tweet, was blown way out of proportion.”

In an exchange with ex-Birmingham player Johnson, KevinRooney1 tweeted: “I have apologised and was taken way out of proportion, Tracey Andrews fella, Aliou Cisse family had abuse I was stating.”

But a later message sent from the same account to someone else appeared to suggest the apology was less than heartfelt.

It read: “Madness mate! It’s only from Villa fans anyway, nobody else, and I’m Blues that’s reason it’s caused hype.”

Aston Villa confirmed their captain had been diagnosed with acute leukaemia last Thursday – after the 32-year-old developed a fever following a match against Arsenal the previous Saturday.

Petrov addressed the Villa squad in the dressing room prior to Saturday’s 4-2 defeat at home to Chelsea, where he vowed to fight the condition and beat it.

He then stayed on as a spectator at the match with his family, and was moved to tears as he stood to acknowledge a 60-second ovation from both sets of supporters in the 19th minute – timed to match the player’s squad number.

On Monday Petrov travelled to London to begin his treatment.

Speaking about Petrov’s dressing room message to his team-mates, Villa manager Alex McLeish said: “Stan is a determined guy and has said he will fight it and beat it. He told the lads that before the game in the dressing room.

“It was typical of him. He is a leader, and he says he will battle through it, and those are the kind of words we would expect to hear from Stiliyan.

“The whole of football has got respect for Stan and we are right behind him in his recovery.”

England ace Wayne Rooney broke a nine-year-old football fan’s wrist – after he fluffed a SHOT at a Premiership match.

Manchester United fan Jamie Thomas was cheering on his idols when the £250,000-a-week star miskicked the ball sending it careering into the crowd.

The accident happened during the warm-up session before the Premiership champions’ match against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

Unbeknown to Rooney, his mishit shot flew straight at Jamie who was sitting in the front row of the Jack Harris Stand at Molineux with dad Andy, 31.

Jamie ducked and put his arms up to protect his face but the ball smashed into him.

Jamie managed to watch the first half of the match which saw United beat Wolves 5-0 but was taken into the first aid tent after his arm “ballooned” at half time.

Medics were so worried they sent Jamie, from Wem, Shrops., to hospital where he had a plaster cast put on his injured wrist.

Dad-of-three Andy, who works at a slaughter house, said: “It was his first Man Utd game and we were in the Wolves end because somebody got us tickets.

“We were sat on the first row right at the front.

“We were with my nephew, Jamie’s uncle, his sister and her brother.

“The players were warming up and Rooney and Hernandez were taking a few shots.

“Rooney missed one and it was coming straight towards Jamie so he put out his hands to stop it hitting him and it broke his wrist.

“He did well to put his arms up because it would have taken his head off otherwise – it was a hell of a shot.

“At first we thought it was just bruising but Jamie wasn’t enjoying the game and it ballooned in size so we went to first aid at half time.

“We ended up missing most of the second half.

“The medical staff wanted us to go to Wolverhampton hospital but we were catching the train so we went to Shrewsbury instead.

“They said it was a clean break and he has to go back in a couple of weeks.

“He went back to school on Wednesday and he was loving it, everyone wanted to sign his cast.

“He’s been telling everyone Wayne Rooney broke his wrist.

“He can’t write with his hand and we are having to help him get changed but he doesn’t care.

“It shook him up a bit but he’s fine about it now and I don’t think it’s put him off going to other games.

“I don’t think Rooney realised what he had done otherwise I am sure he would have come over.”

Funnyman, John Bishop, has completed his ‘week of hell’ cycling, rowing and running 290 miles over just five days.

In his struggle to complete his triathlon for Sport Relief, he endured crippling pains and was seen wearing kinesio tape, therapeutic tape that provides support and compression for injuries.

As he reached the end point in London his wife was their to great him with a hug, he later admitted he was ‘blown away’ after being told he had raised a staggering £1.6m for the charity.

The grueling five day triathlon started in Paris and ended in London, at times it looked like he might not be able to complete it as he had to have physio and acupuncture towards the end of the five days.

But he overcame his back and shin problems and ran the three marathons in the same amount of days.

Giving him an extra boost two out of three of his sons turned up to run with him through London, along with footballer Robbie Savage.
Hundreds of fans greated him as he completed the five day triathalon, chanting ‘Bishop, Bishop’ as the Liverpool anthem ‘You’ll never walk alone’ played.

The modest comedian insisted it was his fans that deserved recognition by helping to raise so much for vaccinations for African children.

The money raised will go towards vaccinating 250,000 children in Africa, as well as help with projects in the UK.

Just six months before world champion triathlete Alistair Brownlee is due to race in the Olympics, he has suffered an Achilles injury.

However the 23-year-old is sure that this won’t hinder his gold medal ambitions for London 2012.

Brownlee will be wearing a protective boot, an Aircast Walker, for the next month whilst his injury heels. However he is still planning on competing at the San Diego World Triathlon Series in May, which his coach is confident he’ll be back on top form for.

Brownlee, who won the Olympic test event in Hyde Park last year, told the Telegraph:

“I felt pain in my calf and ankle. Alarm bells sounded.

“It’s hard to put into words just how frustrating it is not being able to train. For me it is the loss, for a month at the very least, of the thing I love.

“Triathlon drives me and I don’t do it for the money, I do it for the love of the sport.

“This is not just a job for me, it’s my passion, so the setback has hit me hard.

“It’s hard to tell at the moment but if I can get this boot off quite quickly and get training, I have plenty of time to get myself fit.

“I’ve shown before that I can return from injury to championship-standard competition in the space of a month.

“However, I won’t be overdoing it in training to make up for lost time as that can be very dangerous – I’ll just return at my own pace.”

His coach, Malcolm Brown, added: “Alistair has a small tear in his left Achilles tendon and is wearing an air cast as a precaution.

“Obviously this isn’t an ideal situation, but I can say that this has been his best winter’s training, probably ever. We had scheduled a break from training at the end of the winter period anyway, so I am not overly concerned at this stage.

The Aircast A60 Ankle Brace is available from www.physioroom.com.

FORMER Premier League footballer Leon McKenzie has been jailed for perverting the course of justice over a speeding ticket scam.

Appearing at Northampton Crown Court today, the ex-Norwich star was handed a six month jail term by Judge Richard Bray and banned from driving for 18 months.

The court heard McKenzie, 33, who retired from professional football in December, sent  Northamptonshire police a series of bogus letters to avoid repeated speeding fines and the loss of his driving licence.

Claiming to be from a fictional garage in London, the letters, sent to dodge six speeding fines between February 2008 and January 2010, claimed the former footballer’s car was off the road when he was caught speeding.

Claire Howell, prosecuting, at a hearing last year, said that each time he received a notice of intended prosecution, McKenzie sent back a letter stating mechanics were working on his car when it was said to have been caught by speed cameras.

Sentencing McKenzie to six months in prison on Tuesday, Judge Bray said: ”These offences strike right at the heart of justice.

“It would send completely the wrong message not to pass a custodial sentence.”

The former Norwich City, Coventry City and Charlton Athletic star was supported in court by his uncle, former world champion boxer Duke McKenzie, former So Solid Crew rapper MC Harvey and former Burnley defender Clarke Carlisle, chairman of the Professional Footballers Association.

In an emotional statement released after he was sentenced, McKenzie, who has suffered from depression in the past, says his behaviour was “totally unacceptable”.

“I was not in a good place and couldn’t always make sense of what was going on. Some things being personal and some being work related,” said McKenzie in the statement.

“Unfortunately at that time I fell deep into depression, which led me to try and take my life. Around that period I wasn’t thinking straight, and got caught up with the wrong people around me.

“My behaviour towards certain things like these speeding offences were totally unacceptable and very naive of me to allow a third party to take my points for me.

“I broke the law six times in that two year period which I am now very aware of. I am truly sorry for these offences that I committed.

“It took a lot to speak out publicly about trying to end my life and now turning it around with helping others with issues of depression and starting a new career in music.

“I am now leaving my wife and my beautiful four children along with some fantastic friends and family. God willing they will be okay.

“Anyone that knows me, knows my heart and more importantly knows the change in me from where I was compared to where I am now. I am a fighter and looks like now I don’t have a choice but to battle on which I will do.”

After being arrested and questioned on suspicion of perverting the course of justice, the former Premier League player made a full confession on the understanding he would receive a caution.

But six months later, he was summoned to court to answer the charges again after a mix-up between Dc Simon Coles and Sgt Gez Jackson resulted in McKenzie being cautioned for the six offences without the case being referred to the Crown Prosecution Service.

During a protracted series of hearings and legal argument, Judge Bray was asked to decide whether the caution should be quashed, allowing for McKenzie to be prosecuted – but the caution was subsequently withdrawn by Northamptonshire Police.

Last month the striker pleaded guilty to the six charges, which relate to separate occasions over a two-year period when he sought to avoid a driving ban.

The court heard McKenzie, who played his last game for non-league Kettering Town in December, committed the offences around the time he was suffering from depression, and has been working with the Professional Footballers’ Association helping others with the same condition.

CASUALLY enjoying a leisurely round a golf, this is the damning footage that landed a cheating pensioner in court after he claimed nearly £30,000 in benefits on the basis he was so disabled he could not even feed himself.

Scrounger Albert Davies was captured on CCTV playing an 18-hole round of golf by officials, despite telling the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) he was severely disabled and therefore qualified for the highest rate of mobility and care allowance.

The 68-year-old was paid the benefit – which he fraudulently claimed for five-years – on the basis that he suffered from rheumatoid arthritis which left him with stiffness, pain when walking and unable to leave the house most days, a court was told.

His lack of strength was apparently so severe that his wife had to cut up his food so he could eat and he required help getting out of a chair, getting dressed and getting in and out the shower.

But footage obtained by DWP investigators shows him carrying a bag full of golf clubs across a course and leisurely taking them out to play his shots.

Davies was also caught on camera leaning into the boot of his people carrier to take out his golf bag, bending down to change his into golf shoes and casually playing around the course, clearly swinging a golf club with ease and moving around with minimum discomfort.

And yesterday/today, with etiquette that might be frowned upon by many golf clubs, Davies arrived at court sticking two fingers up to photographers and swearing at them as he faced his punishment.

The pensioner told magistrates that a ‘miracle’ drug had improved his condition and said he didn’t feel guilty about what he had done because he was following advice from his doctor.

But on Wednesday a judge blasted the fraudster for his dishonesty saying the ‘miracle drug’ worked ‘spectacularly well’, he had cheated taxpayers and ‘disgraced himself’ as well as bringing shame upon his family.

However, magistrates spared him an immediate prison term because of his ‘age and previous good character’.

Recorder Benjamin Nicholls sentenced Davies to 10-weeks in prison, suspended for 18-months.

He told him as he stood in the dock aided with a stick: “This was a cynical, deliberate swindling of the benefits system. It must have been as plain as a pikestaff that being able to do all these things on the golf course that you are in no way entitled to the highest rate of Disability Living Allowance.

“You have cheated the taxpayers, you have cheated those that submit genuine claims – it was thoroughly dishonest.”

He continued: “Apparently the scientists have discovered a miracle drug which was prescribed to you and it worked, and it worked spectacularly well because in August and September 2010….you went on the golf course on a regular basis.

“You have disgraced yourself, you have brought shame on your family. Your barrister said right thinking people would regard this sort of offence with disdain and I am proud to be included in amongst those people that take that attitude.”

Davies, from Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, received a staggering £29,705.25 between August 10, 2005 and September 14 2010 as a result of the fraud.

He pleaded guilty to dishonestly failing to notify a change in circumstances and dishonestly making a false representation in order to obtain benefits.

Stafford Crown Court heard on Wednesday that Davies had claimed the benefit legitimately since September 29 2004 because of his condition.

But in August and September in 2010, Davies was caught on surveillance footage by the DWP on five separate occasions at a golf club in Lea Marston in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, where he is a member.

Prosecuting, Trevor Whitehead said: “On one such occasion on August 31, he was seen leaving home with a stick, walking with a slight limp and getting into the car. When it came to getting out the car at the other end at Lea Marston, there was no sign of any stick.

“He changed his shoes, he took out his clubs and he is seen on the course – a 9-hole golf course – playing in the usual way; bending, stretching, lifting and in fact on some occasions once completed all nine holes without break he went round again and completed a second.

“The victim in this case is the tax payer. These crimes are very easy to commit and difficult to detect.”

When he was interviewed on September 30 2010, Davies claimed that he had informed the department of a change in circumstances as his condition had improved thanks to a ‘revolutionary’ drug, but the letter was never traced.

In mitigation, Darren Whitehead said Davies worked hard for 43-years and didn’t complain or take anything for granted. The court heard he had poor health and suffered from gout, rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, diabetes, had problems with his spinal discs and a lack of hearing.

“He led by good example, not just to those around him who worked but his family also. He is to all intent and purposes a man of good character, ” Mr Whitehead added.

“It is very tragic that at the age of 68 he will fall from a great height.”

Davies was also made subject to a curfew requirement for the next three months from 7pm-7am.

“You can spend that time reflecting on the disgraceful behaviour that has brought this about,” the judge told him.

“I hope to goodness we never see you in a court again.”

Davies refused to comment outside court. But his eldest daughter, who did not want to be named, said tearfully: ” He is a good man, a good father. He is a good person. This is an isolated case.”

Following a meeting at the FA chairman’s office, Fabio Capello resigned as England Manager, leaving the way clear for Harry Redknapp to take over.

Redknapp was cleared of all tax evasion charges at Southwark Crown Court, hours before he had gone into talks with David Bernstein at Wembley.

Bernstein was said to be livid with Capello for criticising the FA’s decision to take John Terry’s captaincy on Italian Television.

Capello was shocked by claims of a gross breach of protocol when he met Bernstein and FA general secretary Alex Horne.

The manager was unhappy that he was not involved in the decision to take the armband off Terry and has walked out, along with his coaching staff.

Sources have revealed that throughout the tense discussions, Capello remained calm.

Wayne Rooney took to Twitter. ‘Gutted Capello has quit,’ he posted. ‘Good guy and top coach. Got to be english to replace him. Harry Redknapp for me.’

In a statement, the FA said: ‘The Football Association can confirm that Fabio Capello has today resigned as England manager.

‘This follows a meeting involving FA chairman David Bernstein, FA general secretary Alex Horne and Fabio Capello at Wembley Stadium.

‘The discussions focused on the FA board’s decision to remove the England team captaincy from John Terry, and Fabio Capello’s response through an Italian broadcast interview. In a meeting for over an hour, Fabio’s resignation was accepted and he will leave the post of England manager with immediate effect.’

Bernstein said: ‘I would like to stress that during today’s meeting and throughout his time as England manager, Fabio has conducted himself in an extremely professional manner. We have accepted Fabio’s resignation, agreeing this is the right decision. We would like to thank Fabio for his work with the England team and wish him every success in the future.’

Capello told an Italian news agency: ‘I leave England and I will not say anything else.’