How ‘Super John McGinn’ became a distinctly Scottish superman at World Cup
From Birmingham to Boston, the song was the same. As Aston Villa celebrated their Europa League win on their parade, Unai Emery launched into a rendition of “Super John McGinn”; the Basque’s team are often in tune, even if his singing was not. A few weeks later, outside Faneuil Hall in the heart of Boston, the Tartan Army’s version was rather better.
Later that night, McGinn had them singing again. Not since Stuart McCall and Mo Johnston in 1990 had a Scot scored in a World Cup win; or not for his own side, anyway, given Tom Boyd’s unfortunate final touch for Brazil’s decider in 1998. The Scotland supporters reportedly set new records for the noise levels they hit in the Gillette Stadium on Saturday. When they face Morocco on Friday, McGinn may be the likeliest candidate to get them deafening Massachusetts again.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThis is shaping up as the summer of John McGinn; for Scotland, the chance to book a first knockout game ever is alive, but McGinn already has three historic feats to his name. He captained Villa to a top-four finish, his own spectacular goal against Liverpool rubber-stamping their first qualification of the season for the Champions League; a second followed via the Europa League with McGinn, again, scoring when it mattered, his twin classy finishes securing the semi-final win over Nottingham Forest. It was McGinn who lifted Villa’s first European trophy for 44 years after the final victory over Freiburg, joining Dennis Mortimer in a band of two captains to raise continental silverware for the club.
Now for Scotland. Their triumphs on the global stage are so infrequent that beating Haiti was rightly a cause for celebration. A draw against Morocco might merit still more. If so, it might be the triumph of the likeable but unlikely lads.
McGinn and Andy Robertson, vice-captain and captain, have formed the double act that has underpinned Steve Clarke’s regime. The left-back was released by Celtic as a teenager; the midfielder just doesn’t really look like a footballer. These days, he may have football’s most famous backside.
AdvertisementAdvertisementLike Robertson, he also brings a refreshing normality and flashes of humour. Once, on World Food Day, Villa recorded their players revealing their favourite meals. McGinn’s down-to-earth answer of “chips” provoked amusement. He arguably provided the highlight of Scotland’s Euro 2024; for it was he who joined in with the locals, welcoming them to their training base to produce his attempts at Bavarian country dancing.
On the pitch, however, he underperformed. It ran the risk that tournament football would never see the best of McGinn in a Scotland shirt. Saturday helped change that; after some of McGinn’s glorious goals, a deflected effort was rather less stylish. “I scuffed it a wee bit,” he said.
But they all count, and McGinn has been counting. At club level, he delivered a career-best 10 goals this season, finding a niche for himself as Villa’s nominal right winger, but really inverting to become one of Emery’s No 10s. He was on the left for Scotland against Haiti, not his best position, but he scored one and almost got another.
And some of McGinn’s importance can be weighed in goals. His strike on Saturday was his 21st for his century; in the last seven decades, only Kenny Dalglish and Denis Law have got more. Among other things, it shows that Scotland have not had a top-class striker this millennium; McGinn first helped compensate before Scott McTominay picked up the goalscoring slack.
He had Scotland hero status long before scoring their first goal in a World Cup for 28 years. Robertson once revealed his son had a Scotland shirt with McGinn’s name on it, rather than that of his father. In a sense, they have driven each other on – McGinn noted before the Europa League final that he had seen friends such as Robertson and Jack Grealish lift major honours – while each has achieved more than felt possible.
AdvertisementAdvertisementMcGinn joined Villa for £2.5m when they were a Championship club. It ranks as one of the great bargains of the last decade, in part because he has got better along with them.
A player who has improved with age turns 32 later this year. Despite his fondness for chips and unconventional physique, he is formidably fit – indeed, he has gone to Arizona to train in 45-degree heat – but this is probably his only World Cup, and not merely because Scotland had not qualified for the previous six. He has already made his mark on it. Indeed, and while it is not an official fact, he may be the only person ever nicknamed “Meatball” to score the winner in a World Cup match.
With the odd moniker and look, with his sense of humour and eye for goal, Super John McGinn has become a distinctly Scottish superman.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
