This summer's transfer window has seen a number of high-profile moves across Europe.

Liverpool have signed Darwin Nunez from Benfica, Manchester City have signed Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona have seemingly signed just about everybody else.

Given the complexities of top-level football it is unlikely any of these moves were negotiated when the player happened to bump into the club's chairman while out walking his dog.

However, that is exactly how 10th tier Beverley Town ended up pulling off the biggest, and presumably most bizarre, signing in their 22-year history.

Daniele Mannini has played in Serie A alongside and against some of the biggest names of European football from the past two decades.

The 38-year-old Italian midfielder boasts a CV including stints with Brescia, Napoli and Sampdoria - a long way from the Northern Counties Eastern League in every conceivable sense.

"I was out walking my dog when I got chatting to another dog walker," Beverley chairman Mark Smith said.

"He happened to say he played a bit of football in the past, I told him I was the chairman of Beverley Town and he should get down to pre-season training.

"Little did I know he had over 200 Serie A appearances under his belt!"

Mannini hasn't played since leaving Italian third-tier side Pontedera in January 2020 and moved to East Yorkshire to work as a sales executive for a food ingredient supplier.

Despite his time away from the game he's holding his own alongside his new team-mates, as you'd imagine from someone who has played against Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ronaldinho and Francesco Totti.

"I cannot speak highly enough of Dani's attitude and his training and dedication have been first class," manager Dave Ricardo said.

"He can be a real inspiration for everyone involved at the club. It's not often you get someone who has played the amount of games Dani has done at a high level, never mind in Serie A."

Beverley start the new league season with a trip to Nottinghamshire-based Ollerton on Saturday, 6 August.

Ran in the 13.20 at Catterick yesterday for it's first ever race and it came last. The colours are blue and white with a white star on the jockey's silks.

Morecambe are looking to punch above their weight for a second successive season in League One this campaign.

The Shrimps survived their first ever season in the third tier of English football in 2021-22 by just two points.

They'll be hoping for a slightly more comfortable ride this time out, with retired WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury on board.

Before League One defenders start panicking about the prospect of marking him at set-pieces, Fury is just sponsoring the club's shorts through his Gypsy King brand.

The 33-year-old Morecambe resident told the club website: "I love the Morecambe area and it is a pleasure to be able to support my local club."

Head of commercial Martin Thomas added: "Tyson is a fantastic ambassador for the Morecambe area and it's fantastic to have him on board.

"He is one of the most recognisable names in the world of sport, and will bring worldwide recognition to the club."

The two-time world champion announced his retirement after victory over Dillian Whyte in April, but said this week he would fight fellow Briton Anthony Joshua if it was put on free-to-air television and tickets given away for free.

Blackburn Rovers have signed Barnsley full-back Callum Brittain for an undisclosed fee on a four-year deal.

The 24-year-old made 37 appearances as the Tykes finished bottom of the Championship in 2021-22.

He could make his debut for Jon Dahl Tomasson's side against QPR on Saturday, 30 July.

"His profile fits exactly with the playing model we are building at the club," director of football Gregg Broughton told the club website.

Norwich defender Christoph Zimmermann has joined German second division side Darmstadt on a three-year deal.

The 29-year-old twice helped Norwich to Premier League promotion after arriving from Borussia Dortmund II in 2017, but featured just five times last term.

Zimmerman had a year left on his deal with the Canaries, though it is not clear if Darmstadt have paid a fee.

The German scored four goals in 139 appearances across all competitions in his five years at Carrow Road.

Speaking before Zimmerman's departure was confirmed, Norwich boss Dean Smith told BBC Radio Norfolk: "He is a huge character and he probably hasn't had as much football as he would want in the past 18 months. It would be wrong of us as a club not to give him this opportunity.

"He's showed as a character and a footballer the type of people we want at this football club."

Cheltenham Town's Whaddon Road stadium
Cheltenham Town enjoyed their highest-ever league finish in 2021-22
Cheltenham Town chairman David Bloxham said the purchase of the club's training complex will help make the club more "secure" for the future.

The Robins completed the deal on the 22-acre facility in Swindon Village, which they have used for 20 years.

The previous deal saw them rent the facilities from insurance firm Zurich, as tenants.

"We had the facilities there but only a limited amount of security," Bloxham told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"We could at any time effectively have been asked to end the lease at the end of the term and we then would have been looking for a new home.

"Acquiring the freehold to the training ground is something which offers so many benefits to the club."

Since 2013 the club have expanded to take over the complex, just outside Cheltenham.

As well as being the Robins' training base, it is also the location for reserve and academy games.

"The training ground will give us great options going forward and I think it will allow us to build a stronger financial base which in turn will enable us to maintain a very good playing budget going forward," Bloxham continued.

Cheltenham came 14th in League One last year, their highest finish since being promoted to the English Football League for the first time in 1999.

Former first-team coach Wade Elliott was promoted to head coach in June following the departure of Michael Duff, who had steered the club to League One.

"We have garnered transfer fees and our playing budget has gone up several fold over the last few years, so it's not as if we've sacrificed playing budget.

"You have build for the future, you have to make sure the club is secure and we've been very prudent and the money that we've had in terms of transfer fees has been very well used by this club."

Bloxham also confirmed that redeveloping the club's Completely Suzuki Stadium at Whaddon Road remains on the "wishlist" for the future.

"Of course we've got to try and do something, because we need to improve the facilities, we need to improve the income streams for the club and I think the ground redevelopment, once we've managed to achieve that, is something which can take us onto the next level."

Analysis
Peter Matthews, BBC Radio Gloucestershire

This is a significant step for the Robins who now have a potentially appreciating asset and will no longer, of course, have to pay rent to their landlords.

The club has made major strides on the pitch in the last few seasons, this is the beginnings of trying to ensure the infrastructure off the field matches the progress being made on the field, under David Bloxham's leadership.

Forward Chris Maguire has been told that he can leave Lincoln City.

The 33-year-old, twice capped by Scotland in 2011, will continue to train with the League One squad while his future is dealt with.

Former Sunderland and Aberdeen frontman Maguire is just 12 months into a two-year deal with Lincoln, but was told he "won't be part of the plan going forward" by Imps boss Mark Kennedy.

"He's been incredibly respectful and professional about it," said Kennedy.

"I've had a chat with Chris, a very adult conversation. He won't be part of the plan going forward and I've discussed that with him.

"With Chris and ourselves, we will do our best to come to an agreement somewhere down the line for his future, so we can move on in the right direction for each of us."

Maguire scored five goals in 36 appearances for Lincoln under former manager Michael Appleton last season.

Kennedy said Maguire's situation - be it a loan or permanent move away from the LNER Stadium - is now for the player, his agent and club administrators to settle on.

Asked by BBC Radio Lincolnshire if he will continue to train with the squad, Kennedy said: "100%, he is a good human being and it's important to treat people the same - when you treat them the same you treat them all well."

Frees Sex or Football tough choice

Halifax Town forward Jamie Allen has joined the cast of ITV reality show Love Island.

The 27-year-old Montserrat international scored one goal in 24 appearances for the National League side last season.

The Shaymen said in a tweet that Allen had "made his intentions clear that the opportunity is very important to him".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-62222921

Did Rangers FC finally realise, after all those seven years, what a f###### "dinosaur" of a footie club it actually was when enforcing such a long ban in the first place? The BBC, a state media corporation that I have very little time for any more, suddenly becoming contrite in its reaction by stating it acknowledged "reporting that didn't meet their editorial standards"???????????? What is that all about????? The corporation effectively reported on the events that led to the demise of a badly run Scot footie club and last year a high standing court inquiry judge even questioned how and why this footie club was not forced to sell off all its assets, incl their stadium and training ground facilities, to accommodate all the creditors who were financially betrayed by the Govan footie club!!!! This is a huge story that has been conveniently "swept under the carpet" with additional massive costs incurred to the public purse, an absolute scandal! And the BBC concession is a mere blip in the bigger story of this financial shambles incurred by a horribly toxic footie club that effectively "lost its way" and tried so hard to be given "special favour" by associated footie bodies at that time.

Great news today Dara O’Shea has signed a new contract keeping him at the Albion till 2025.
God on you Dara, this pre season has been one of the best for a while, keep up the good work Bruce And Gourley