Former England football manager Sven-Göran Eriksson has revealed that he has been sadly diagnosed with terminal cancer and only has "at best a year to live".
The 75-year-old ex-Premier League and EFL coach confirmed his devastating news during an interview on Swedish radio earlier this week.
He is, of course, best known to football fans around the world as the Three Lions boss between 2001-2006, where he took charge of the so-called 'Golden Generation' of English footballers at the time, including Beckham, Owen, Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard, and many more.
Eriksson led the star-studded national team to two World Cup tournaments during his reign, as well as EURO 2004 when England suffered a heartbreaking and controversial loss to Portugal on penalties.
Eriksson reveals terminal cancer diagnosis with only 'a year to live' (Credit via Flick/England Football)
Aside from his England duties, Eriksson has also managed a number of other notable clubs throughout his career, including Manchester City, Leicester, Benfica and Lazio, as well as sides in Sweden, China, the Phillippines and the Ivory Coast national team.
Many fans grew concerned after Eriksson resigned as the Sporting Director at Swedish club, Karlstad Football, 11 months ago now.
News reports simply cited "health issues" at the time and now it appears the nature of the problem was much more serious than first thought, having now been unfortunately diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
"Everyone understands that I have an illness that is not good. "Everyone guesses it's cancer and it is - but I have to fight as long as I can.", he told Swedish radio station Sveriges Radio P1 during a candid interview.
When asked more about the condition, Eriksson did not disclose which type of cancer he has been diagnosed with, but he did unfortunately reveal he only has "at best a year" to live, and "at worst, even less".
"Or in the best case, I suppose even longer. I don't think the doctors I have can be totally sure, they can't put a day on it,... [so] it's better not to think about it.
"You have to trick your brain.
"I could go around thinking about that all the time and sit at home and be miserable and think I'm unlucky and so on. It's easy to end up in that position. But no, see the positive sides of things and don't bury yourself in setbacks, because this is the biggest setback of them all of course."
The UK cities with the best sense of humour have been revealed, and Leeds has made the top ten list.
The very serious research was commissioned by snack company Cheez-It, who partnered with comedian Jason Manford to launch its ‘Comedy Credit Service’, which saw the comedian visiting London to help lift the locals' mood.
The research revealed Liverpool as the city in the UK with the best sense of humour, with 16% of 2,000 people interviewed naming it the place most likely to have them laughing.
The poll showed a very clear north-south divide, with only London and Brighton making it into the top ten list.
Leeds came in at a very respectable number 9, which we will absolutely take. It must be our classic Yorkshire wit.
The research also revealed that 66% of Brits think they are funny, with the most common humour style people identified with was dry or sarcastic.
The top 10 cities with the best sense of humour
1. Liverpool
2. Glasgow
3. London
4. Newcastle-upon-Tyne
5. Birmingham
6. Manchester
7. Belfast
8. Edinburgh
9. Leeds
10. Brighton & Hove
Rui Frias from Cheez-It, said: “We know comfort comes in all shapes and sizes – a shared laugh, or a much‑needed escape from the February slump.
“That’s why we’ve packed our prize pot with joy-boosters designed to brighten even the greyest day, from ‘Comedy Night In’ bundles to mini ‘Cheer Up Kits’ and even laughter yoga.
“And because we’re proudly pro-cheese in every sense, it’s brilliant to see just how much humour matters to people right now.
“Britain’s famous for its dry sarcasm and razor‑sharp wit — and while the North may still claim the crown, we’re hoping a few belly laughs can help spread the joy nationwide.”
Asda launches red shopping baskets to help singles meet the love of their life
Emily Sergeant
Asda has decided to launch red baskets in stores to help single shoppers meet the love of their life.
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that dating in the modern world isn’t easy, right?
According to new Asda research, 94% of Brits say modern-day dating is hard to navigate, but what’s also clear is that face-to-face interactions still hold a special place – with a resounding 87% of people saying it’s better to meet someone in real life than on a dating app.
In fact, 77% of singles saying they’re not currently active on a dating app at all, and to top it all off, 64% say they fancy someone at their local supermarket.
So, with Valentine’s Day right around the corner now, Asda has decided to take matters into its own hands by placing special red baskets in select stores, giving singles a simple way to signal they’re open to a chat while picking up bread, browsing the bakery, or grabbing a few treats.
Unfortunately for us, the baskets will only appear in Leicester, Liverpool, and Glasgow, as this is where the research revealed people are most actively looking for love.
While the supermarket admits there’s no one ‘right’ way to meet someone, its research does suggest that 62% of couples who met face-to-face describe themselves as being ‘extremely happy’, compared with 51% of those who met online.
And that sense of connection goes beyond romance too, as among those couples who met in real life, 71% of them say they ‘trust their partner 100%’, while 66% describe their relationship as a ‘deep friendship’.
“We know people are craving real-life connections, but we also know our customers are busy and don’t always have the time to put themselves out there,” a spokesperson for Asda admitted.
“That’s why we’re turning the weekly shop into the ultimate meet-cute. These red baskets are a fun, light-hearted way to help people connect while they’re already doing their everyday shop – a simple, playful nudge to start a chat and maybe even spark a little romance.”
Danny Jones -
11th January 2024 
