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Manchester City were planning UEFA protest if they won Champions League

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Manchester City have been in a fierce battle with UEFA for a number of years now. If the Premier League club was successful in the Champions League this season, they were planning a huge protest during the trophy presentation in an act of defiance.

Earlier this year, City were banned by UEFA from playing any European football over the next two years. In what was a big blow to the governing body, City were able to get that punishment lifted after an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Manchester City, who overcame Real Madrid in the last 16 of this year’s tournament, were planning to not accept the trophy if they were successful in the final in Lisbon. Instead, the club had commissioned their own trophy, which they would celebrate with following the game.

City were even considering going as far as taking UEFA’s Champions League trophy and having it melted back in England. This is likely to infuriate UEFA and they are already mulling over what punishment they can hand out this time, with a lifetime ban from their competitions thought to be their preferred penalty.

Since Pep Guardiola took over at Manchester City in 2016, the brief has been to win the Champions League. This year looked to be their best chance of ending that wait as they were -370.37 to get past Lyon in the odds on the Champions League quarter-final ties, while they were +200 in the outright market in the competition.

Unfortunately, Lyon beat them 3-1.

City have often come unstuck against fellow Premier League opponents in this tournament. In 2018 they were beaten by Liverpool, while last year, Tottenham eliminated them in the last eight. Guardiola’s side will have no such problem this season as they are the final club flying the flag for the Premier League.

City in talks with rivals over joining new European body

Manchester City’s relationship with UEFA is thought to be unrepairable now, therefore, they are taking the lead when it comes to lobbying other major European clubs to form a new super league.

They want to rival UEFA and encourage the other big players in Europe to become members. This new super league will give the likes of City more control on how the competition is run, particularly when it comes to financial fair play, something they want to abolish.

It is thought that the big clubs are split over the decision. It could mean that next season all the major teams will not be in the same competitions. Those who choose to support City’s idea will be involved in a super league where there is no qualification required, while others will stick with the Champions League.

This new super league could be a lifeline for clubs which failed to qualify into Europe through their domestic leagues. Unless they win the Champions League, Lyon will be without European football next season, while Valencia and Athletic Bilbao finished outside the Europa League placings in La Liga.

It is going to be interesting to see how the Champions League plays out this season as it may change the landscape of European football.

Life imitates art as Norwich City really do launch a blue and white kit

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By Ian Bred, Norfolk Reporter

The Suffolk Gazette tag line is ‘You Couldn’t Make It Up’, and in this case, we really couldn’t.

A few weeks ago we wrote a story claiming Norwich City were launching a new blue and white kit to finally try and bring some success on the pitch.

Superior East Anglian team Ipswich Town have won three major trophies wearing blue and white, so the switch was a good plan, even though Canaries fans detest blue and white, for obvious reasons.

Our brilliant story featured an exclusive image of the new Norwich kit, reprinted below.

New Norwich kit, according to the Suffolk Gazette
The Suffolk Gazette shot of the new Norwich kit

Now, in a dramatic twist even the editor of the Suffolk Gazette could not have foretold, Norwich have actually launched a new blue and white away kit (dedicate to NHS workers, which must be applauded).

The actual new Norwich blue and white kit (Photo: Norwich City)

What we love about this new blue and white Norwich kit is that not only is it a sagely nod to Ipswich Town, it apes the pinstripe kit we wore in our most successful season. In 1981, we won the UEFA Cup, were runners-up in the league and got to the FA Cup semi-final wearing a pinstripe kit.

Ipswich 1981 kit
The Ipswich 1981 kit

Now, the cunning Canaries would have us believe their new away kit is “petrol blue”.

But blue is blue, and the Norfolk numpties have finally seen the light.

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London becoming overgrown as city workers stay away

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View over the Thames to the South Bank and the London Eye

The city of London is becoming overgrown with weeds and trees as office workers continue to stay away, choosing to work from home.

Our exclusive photograph, above, shows the view over the River Thames towards the South Bank, with the London Eye wheel in the background.

Where once there were office workers, public transport, and bustling shops, restaurants and bars, now there is an eerie quietness as nature reclaims the streets.

The photograph was taken by Suffolk Gazette reader Lorraine Fisher, 34, who had travelled to her office in London to collect her mail.

She was shocked by the amount of greenery, trees and wildlife roaming free on the city streets.

“Outside Liverpool Street is like the Amazon,” she said.

“I had to use a machete to hack my way through to my office near the Embankment.

“I managed to take this photo from my desk. The view from my window has changed a bit since I was last here in March.

“Everything was completely overgrown. If people don’t start returning to wok in offices soon, then the city will be lost to nature forever.”

The news comes as the Government urges people to get back to work, rather than continuing a home-working culture during the coronavirus outbreak.

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Four things you must know to pull off the best poker bluff

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Whether we’ve actually played high-stakes poker or not, chances are that we’ve all seen the gambling movies.

It’s the final play of the poker game, and it comes down to the cards in the protagonist’s hands. It’s impossible to tell if the opposing person is bluffing or not, though our protagonist seems quite convinced. We all hold our breaths awaiting the results.

Surprisingly, the art of the bluff is not nearly as fictitious as some of us might imagine. In reality, bluffing in poker is indeed an essential part of the game, and pulling it off successfully can mean the difference between making remarkable wins or tragic losses. 

However, it’s no easy feat to pull off a successful bluff. Even most of the seasoned poker players, who have a wealth of experience and intuition behind them, still struggle with this from time to time. It’s just against our human nature to lie, even if not doing it could cost us a lot. Not to mention that there are tons of poker sites to choose from; for instance, Global Poker has real money sweepstakes that attract many online players.

If you’re new to poker or pulling off poker bluffs, here are four tips to help you get it right. It takes practice, so get started today.

1. Know-How Your Body Reacts To Bluffing

The first tip is so painfully obvious, but many poker players, both new and experienced, often overlook this part. Contrary to popular belief, bluffing is not all in the mind. Our bodies can actually betray us by giving away telltale signs to our opponents. 

It’s perfectly normal for our bodies to react this way when under the duress that comes with trying to pull off a bluff. Some of us get sweaty palms, dilated pupils, even shaking hands and intensified breathing. It’s also common for voices to start wavering, and even for eyes to start twitching! So as a starting point before you attempt to pull off a bluff, try getting your own nervous tics on video. Film yourself pulling a bluff, and spot your noticeable physiological changes. Alternatively, you can ask a friend to help observe you. 

That said, a good poker player doesn’t just know what his or her physical reactions are, but also how to manage them. This comes with lots of practice, so take your time to find what behaviours work best for you. A simple way to combat the physical signs is to train yourself into getting into a certain relaxed posture every time you bluff. Perhaps you can slouch a little, or cross your legs. Keep doing that posture each time you bluff, and that way, your brain is conditioned to keep the telltale signs at bay each time you sit in that manner.

2. Confidence is Key 

This mantra sounds cliche, but when it comes to poker, it rings as true as ever. After all, how can you expect your opponent to believe you when you don’t even believe in yourself? 

For this, demeanour is everything. Approaching a table, sitting down, and playing with confidence is a surefire way to intimidate and convince your opponent that you’ve got a good hand. Seems simple enough, but you’d be surprised at how many poker players lack the confidence they need to win. 

The lack of confidence comes through in the most subtle ways. For instance, fidgeting is a big giveaway that you’re not confident in your hand. Be it finger drumming, shaking a leg, or flicking the cards, fidgeting allows your opponent to read you like a book. Apart from this, other signs include avoiding eye contact, becoming quieter, or even becoming uncharacteristically aggressive as the game goes on. 

The best way to build confidence is to do it in mind. For beginners, start by learning the rules of the game. More than just the basics, try committing certain winning combinations or smart moves to memory. The more knowledge and understanding of the game you have in your head, the more confident you’ll be in poker — and the more likely you’ll be able to pull off a successful bluff. 

3. Remain Calm 

It might be the most intense poker game of your life, but you’ll have more than enough time to think about that later. Right now, during the game itself, it’s imperative that you remain in a state of calm. Being zen might sound like some new-age nonsense, but it actually is one of the most crucial parts of playing poker as a whole. The best players are the ones who have the mental fortitude to remain effortlessly calm, even when they’re trying to pull off the bluff of the century. 

If you’re wondering how to keep calm and carry on, here are a couple of tips from the pros. Firstly, remember to have fun at the poker table. It’s much easier to remain calm when you don’t take yourself or the game so seriously. Enjoy the game, treat it as nothing more than a game, and you’re more likely to take even the worst losses in stride. 

Of course, if you’re playing something more high stakes, you do need to recognize the gravity of the game. In this case, what you can try is to memorize some sort of internal mantra or phrase to help you remain calm. Some players mentally hum a tune, others recall a scene from a movie. Whatever keeps your heart rate down and keeps you calm, remember it and practice using it whenever you can. 

4. Know What Works Best For You

If you’ve tried the aforementioned tips for a while and still can’t seem to pull off that bluff, then read closely: there’s no fixed formula. Don’t be afraid to fail, and keep on pushing on with trial and error. Ultimately, it’s all about knowing what works best for you and tweaking as you go along to be the best bluffer you can be.

To illustrate, perhaps you struggle with projecting confidence because you’re just a naturally shy person. If you find that appearing confident isn’t quite up your alley, consider switching to projecting something else. Some players have even found that appearing shy and distant works better for them, and perhaps you could be one of them. 

Conclusion

All in all, poker is different for everyone — and so is the method of pulling off the best bluff. Keep practising and knowing more about yourself and your style, and you’ll be able to do so even when there are piles of chips on the line. 

World told to prepare for reporters standing in Hurricane Laura winds

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reporter hurricane

A major warning was issued early today for people to brace themselves for news reporters standing in hurricane-force winds.

The first television journalists have already been spotted across Texas and Louisiana, and many more are expected in the coming hours.

Hundreds of thousands of normal people have been told to evacuate the area ahead of Hurricane Laura making landfall.

But reporters have headed into the danger zone to stand on street junctions at 45-degree angles in order to make good TV.

Wearing waterproof clothing and shouting to be heard, they intend to dodge flying masonry and tidal surges and expect to get swamped with biblical rain.

In so doing, they hope to confirm that there is, in fact, a hurricane going on.

reporter in a hurricane

Lorraine Fisher, 34, a spokesperson for the Reporters in Hurricanes Association said: “It is important to show the world just how windy it is, and confirm there is a hurricane.

“We may look farcical, clinging on to lampposts while cars float by and house roofs fly through the sky, but you have to admit it makes for great TV.”

Emergency services were not so impressed, however.

“We’ve got everyone out of harm’s way for this major event, but then hundreds of TV journalists turn up to play chicken with the biggest storm in living memory.

“If it gets too dangerous for us to stick around, then they’re on their own.”

Television viewers are advised that the number of reporters standing in hurricane winds will diminish by the weekend.

Here are a couple more television reporters working heroically in a hurricane…

At least some of them take safety precautions…

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Affordable style solutions for thrifty trendsetters

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Keeping up with fashion and style is made out to be an expensive thing, but we’re here to prove that wrong.

There are plenty of nifty tips for you to get stuck into the fashion world without making yourself broke, and with a little time and effort, it’s not as difficult as you may think to get some style solutions for only a little – if any – money. Here are our top affordable style solutions for thrifty trendsetters.

Check out charity shops

The easiest way to buy stylish clothes for cheap is through charity shops. You might think that clothes there are old, tacky, and cheap, but that’s far from the truth – you’ll find plenty of gold mines, including vintage clothing that is bound to turn heads. As well as charity shops, car boot sales, and even your local village market hall can have some really good bargains on second hand or old clothing that can add the zing you were looking for to your look.

If at a market, you can often find that the sellers are open to bargaining, meaning you can find some great deals and discounts on clothing that would usually be much more. Even if you don’t end up buying anything, charity shops and second-hand sellers can be a great source of inspiration for styles, patterns, and colours you’ve not worn or experimented with before that could be fun to try.

Shop online

The internet is no different when it comes to amazing value on clothing – you’ll find plenty of options to explore. You can search for sites and opportunities to buy second-hand clothing like above – Depop is a great place to buy on-trend clothing at a much more affordable price, and is a great place to find discounts.

Although you can’t try the clothes on, it’s a great way to compare and find the best deals as well as search outside of your area – even to other countries. Thanks to the post, you can get items from all over the world, allowing you to explore different cultural styles, too.

It’s not just second-hand clothing online, though. You can find many opportunities to find brand new items from popular brands for an affordable price on a huge variety of websites. For example, Tudor is the affordable alternative to Rolex and available on CHRONEXT, a website known to push high-quality products. You can buy Tudor knowing they’re for sale on a reliable, high-quality site, without breaking your bank on Rolex and other expensive makes that are out of your budget.

Sharing is caring

There’s one place that people always seem to overlook when it comes to finding new, exciting clothes to wear – their friends! If they’re anything like you, your friends probably have similar, great taste, so why not ask them if they’ve got any clothes they never wear or were going to throw out? It’s guaranteed they’ll have something they don’t want anymore, making it all yours for the taking.

You can also set up a swap night with a few friends, if you know some people who may also be looking up to switch up their wardrobe. All you need to do is bring any clothes you don’t want or are happy to get rid of to a certain place, your friends to do the same, and for you to browse each other’s and pick whatever you like! This is a great way to expand your wardrobe as well as share your fashion-searching with friends, making it even more enjoyable.

Get creative

The easiest way to get a piece of clothing that’s original, one of a kind, and one that expresses your personality perfectly, is by making it yourself! This sounds daunting to a lot of people, but broken down, it’s really not that complicated or hard to do. You don’t even need a sewing machine if that’s too much money or too difficult – a simple needle and thread will do the trick!

To begin, start by making small adjustments. YouTube is a great place to learn sewing tips and tutorials, even if you begin with patching and move on to more complicated things in the future. Adding small additions (like beads) or pieces of fabric (as a pocket or some frills, perhaps) can already add an instant quirk to your clothing and make it unique.

Once you’ve got the hang of that, you can learn how to adjust pieces of clothing, add layers, and even create your own from pure fabric. The true fun is that you can select whatever fabric, patterns, colours and styles you like to make something that is original to you, and truly expresses your personality.

Another great thing about learning to sew is that it opens up opportunities to other items of clothing. Found a discounted piece that’s just too big? You can adjust the piece so it fits you better. Found a shirt that would look so much prettier as a skirt? You can turn it into one in a jiffy! There’s plenty you can do once you know how to adjust and put together the fabric yourself, and that leaves the world of fashion open for you to make your mark.

Revamp your wardrobe

If you’re looking to switch up your outfit and fashion sense, it’s likely that your wardrobe is looking a little dusty. So, revamp it! There’s plenty you can do with those old clothes that you don’t wear anymore, or the ones that just won’t fit. You can sew, adjust, cut up, and put them together as you like if you feel like getting your creative side out.

You may find an item of clothing you hate, in which you can tear it up and use the fabric for something else entirely. There’s a lot of joy in making something new out of something old. This goes for old accessories, too – that old earring would make a great attachment to a zip, or that cap’s rim would look amazing as an extra pocket. Don’t be afraid to dig into old drawers and look for anything that you can add to make a piece look the way you want it to.

You may find that wearing an old piece of clothing differently is also a great way of giving your look a new kick. Perhaps you can tuck that dress in as a shirt, or perhaps you can wear a piece back to front, upside down, however you like! There’s a lot of experimentation in how you wear a piece of clothing, so approach it with a completely open mind, as if you don’t know what part of the body the item is for even, and experiment. You may find something innovative that works and looks amazing – and at the end of the day, if worst comes to worst, at least you’ll have a laugh!

There’s no need to have a lot of money in order to keep on trend – it’s more than possible to stay fashionable without spending all of your money. With these tips, you’ll find yourself well on the way to revolutionising the way you dress and letting your clothes express your creativity.

Online casinos you can play in Suffolk

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Online casinos, also known as virtual casinos or internet casinos, are gaining new users every day. More and more people from all over the world are entering the world of virtual casino gambling. The gambling scene in the UK is also going through a change these days. The steady increase of players started in 2005 due to the Gambling Act and doesn’t seem like it will stop anytime soon.

Suffolk, apart from being a stunningly beautiful place, offers plenty of amazing gambling hotspots that can cater to just about any type of gambler out there. Let’s take a look at some of the best online casinos in Suffolk and United Kingdom.

Option 1 Cloud Casino

Overview
Cloud Casino is operated by Nektan Limited and offers a ton of games on desktop, mobile and tablet. The games are also available in both instant play and download formats allowing gamers to play the way they want. This in itself is a great advantage it has over some of its competitors as players aren’t forced to enjoy a certain type of online game. 

Another great aspect of Cloud Casino is that it has a great range of games from the most popular game providers such as NetEnt and NextGen. This impressive collection is spread throughout various categories such as slots, scratch cards, blackjack and poker, ensuring that there is always something for everyone here.

Games

It features an amazing array of games ranging from slots, blackjack, poker, roulette and even scratch card-based games. The slots category offers more than 800 unique games which are more than enough for even the most insatiable casino game lovers. 

You can either choose your favourite category or check out the featured and popular tabs to see trending games. All table and slot games utilise RNG or random number generator to ensure fair play and are constantly monitored in-house for any anomalies.

Registration

If you want to play games for real money, you need to create and register a new account. The process is straightforward and free. All you have to do is click on the “Log in” button at the top and select “Join Now”. The entire process is simple and straightforward. In most cases, age verification will be done automatically, but if they are not able to do so, you will have to provide documentation such as your passport, driving license, utility bills and so on. 

Security and Payment Modes

Casino Cloud follows the industry standard rules and regulations and SSL technologies for all transactions to ensure fair play and easy payment processes, respectively. You can use credit, debit, Skrill, PayPal, Boku or Neteller, which means you don’t have to worry about accessibility as far as payments are concerned. All funds provided by the players are held in a separate bank account and as per regulations will never be used to borrow money or used in any form whatsoever.

Withdrawals

Whenever you win, the money will be directly sent into your account balance from where you can withdraw it as long as the amount is more than £10. Withdrawals can only be made at an interval of 24 hours so you won’t be able to make consecutive withdrawals within that period.

Option 2 All British Casino

Overview

Owned and operated by L&L Europe Ltd, All British Casino is a popular online casino that offers a wide range of games including a 24/7 live casino mode. They focus mostly on instant play games and don’t have games that can be downloaded. So as long as you have a browser, you can play their games at home or even when you are travelling.

Apart from a wide selection of different types of games, what makes All British Casino truly unique is their 24/7 live table games. They also feature some of the most popular game providers such as Net Ent, Big Time Gaming, Elk, Microgaming, Scientific Gaming and more.

Games

The casino features eight different categories of games such as Slingo, live casino, video slots, slots, table games, jackpot, video poker and lottery. While each category comes with a ton of exciting games, the live casino mode is one of their most unique game modes where a player can play in real-time with live dealers, hosts and other players. 

This model blends the land-based and digital games in a beautiful way to provide an immersive and fulfilling gameplay experience. They can also be accessed 24 hours a day and so offers a ton of convenience as well.

Registration

The registration process is very simple and takes very little time. All you have to do is select the “register” button and fill the necessary fields. You may be asked to provide verification documents to confirm your identity. One convenient factor in this regard is that you can either use your passport, driver’s license or utility bills (latest three months) or you can just provide a screenshot of the settings page in your Skrill or Neteller account.

Security and Payment Modes

All data about the player’s information, bets, wins, and game logs will be used only for improving quality of service. They will never be shared with third parties or used for any commercial reason whatsoever. All of the data is encrypted, and account and password information will never be kept on any of the All British Casino’s servers. 

When it comes to payment modes, they accept Visa, Mastercard, Bank transfers, Skrill, Neteller, PaySafe Card and Boku. It is important to note that transactions made through bank transfers might incur additional charges, but you will be informed of it by a customer service agent.

Withdrawals

The minimum amount for withdrawals is £20 and you can only withdraw a maximum of £5000 per day. While depositing money into your account is instant for all payment modes except for bank transfers, the shortest time for withdrawals is one day (Skrill and Neteller).

Option 3 William Hill Casino

Overview

The history of William Hill casino is a fascinating one that goes back to 1934 when it started as a postal/telephone betting service. Its transformation into the online world began in the 2000s. Throughout its history, it has been able to maintain its position as one of the most popular betting sites and the same holds even today.

They offer a wide variety of games ranging from live casino, bingo, slots, roulette, card games, betting and jackpots as well making it a highly versatile playground for online casino game lovers. They also provide attractive welcome bonuses for their new players and a loyalty program for all users as well. 

Games

The number of games offered in William Hill casino may be lesser than the other two, but they make up for it with a wide variety of categories, especially the betting one. Inside the betting category, you can bet on various sports such as football, tennis, cricket, golf, basketball, horse racing, motor racing and so on. Another interesting aspect is the jackpots. There are different types of jackpots available too, such as the Big Drop Jackpot, Daily Drop Jackpot and even an Hourly Drop Jackpot. 

For those who like interacting with real dealers, hosts and players, they can do so with the Live Casino game mode. This mode features roulette, blackjack, baccarat, poker and more. Another unique aspect is the bonus where you have a 100% buy-in bonus up to £300.

Registration

Registration can be done by clicking on the “Join” button at the top right part of the screen. The entire process is very straightforward and only takes a few minutes to complete. Your account can be verified either through email or Live Chat, and the whole process will take up to 24 hours after submission of the required documents. Once the KYC verification is done, you may be asked to provide extra documentation in some cases. 

Security and Payment Modes

William Hill casino is a large company and therefore follows the industry-standard practices when it comes to security and privacy. To get a more detailed view of their policies, you can check their help section. They also support a wide variety of payment options such as debit cards, credit cards, Apple Pay, E-Wallets, online banking, cash transfers, pre-paid cards and more.

Withdrawals

When it comes to withdrawals, you can only withdraw using the same payment method you used to deposit the money. If your deposit method doesn’t allow withdrawal, then it can be done through bank transfer. If your current balance is lower than the minimum withdrawal limit, then you can withdraw money, but it will have to be the full amount. Each payment method has a different minimum withdrawal limit to it. Out of all the options, Visa Direct is the fastest one and can be used to withdraw money 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. 

The above three online casinos are some of the best options for online gambling in Suffolk. Each one of them features a distinct but wide array of games to ensure that all gaming needs are met. To know more about the UK online casinos, and what they offer, you can visit the resource casinos.org.uk. Remember also Any specific information you require will be available on the online casino’s FAQ pages.

Online Gambling is only for people over 18 years of age.

Keep gambling responsible gamcare.org.uk

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Sean Connery at 90: the top five terrible jokes

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Sean Connery jokes

Editor’s note: This story was written on the great man’s 90th birthday in August. We were saddened to hear of his passing on October 31, 2020.

To celebrate Sean Connery’s 90th birthday, here are the Suffolk Gazette’s top five terrible jokes about the legendary Scottish actor. It was meant to be a top ten, but we got shtuck…

Does Sean Connery like herbs?
Yes, but only partially

I told Sean Connery I was crushed by a pile of books
He said I only had my shelf to blame

What time does Sean Connery usually arrive at Wimbledon?
Tennish

Sean Connery doing a knock-knock joke
Dishes
Dishes who?
Dishes Sean Connery

Sean Connery rearranged his fridge during lockdown
He was shelf isolating

The name’s goat, Dirty Old Goat

Drinking your tea or coffee shaken, not stirred, might cause issues. But it will certainly taste all the better coming in a mug from the Suffolk Gazette’s pottery partner, DirtyOldGoat.com