Alleged Everton and Blackpool players have been criticised after being spotted by eagle eyed Twitter users in a photo at kicking out time from a local bar.
Manchester Evening News published pictures of revellers having what could potentially be their last night of drinking out in the city, with stricter restrictions set to be put in place.
Tighter measures in places like Greater Manchester – where coronavirus rates have taken a steep rise – could be brought in to prevent the spread of the virus.
The region is likely to be placed in Tier 3 – which means it would be the worst hit areas for transmission rates. Pubs and bars, nightclubs, betting shops, casinos, adult gaming centres and gyms will close.
Night Time Economy Adviser for Manchester @Sacha_Lord has launched legal action against the government over the impact of the measures on hospitality.
He says only 3% of infections last week were connected to the night time economy.
Watch the debate?https://t.co/fzcHkA6S4k pic.twitter.com/UStksmEvP2
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) October 12, 2020
Sacha Lord, the night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester Sacha Lord told ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Monday: “When the UK went down into national lockdown it was 80 per cent furlough. But now, if you live in the north and work in hospitality, you will see 67pc.
“It doesn’t make sense, it’s not fair, and for us, and for many, many other operators, it feels reckless and like we’re thrown under the bus.”
He added that it is “far safer, in our opinion” to go to a pub where there are restrictive measures in place, rather than people ending up at house parties.
Sacha continued: “Whoever’s making these knee-jerk decisions in the Government are not dealing with operators because we saw what happened with the curfew and, by leaking that news that came out on Wednesday, what do you think happened in the city centres across the UK this weekend? On Saturday night it was like New Year’s Eve.”
Meanwhile Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell said local leaders ‘know hospitality settings make up a very small proportion of infection transmission’.
Everton’s Mason Holgate and Blackpool’s Jerry Yates are spotted heading out of the city centre’s bars and pubs at the 10pm curfew, but without their masks whilst their female friends are. As you can see in the tweet going viral below…
One last hurrah? Manchester city centre at kicking out time last night – in pictureshttps://t.co/W6aybWQ4mL
— Manchester News MEN (@MENnewsdesk) October 12, 2020
Fans couldn’t believe what they were seeing, some laughed at it all, whilst others were not happy with them. The alleged Everton and Blackpool players were criticised after being spotted at kicking out time…
Pop down to your nearest hospital and say that
Sure they will appreciate it?
— leefer (@leefer3) October 12, 2020
For no reason ? Another thick moron
— David Taylor (@davt68) October 12, 2020
Hahahaha that is actually him, isn’t it!?
— Ben Randall ? (@BenRandy) October 12, 2020
Saw this before it’s definitely him ain’t it ?
— Joe Parkinson (@JoeyfknP) October 12, 2020
Why’s he got his shirt off ?
— Joe Parkinson (@JoeyfknP) October 12, 2020
While I agree and there’s no inference at all he has done anything wrong, he’s been unfortunate to be innocently “snapped” and then identified. if he had bagged a hat trick On Sat would have be laughed off but unfortunately that’s the high profile life footballers live in now
— Tangerine Tony (@TangerineTony) October 12, 2020
Agree completely , it’s probably not the best decision he’s made to take his shirt off and pose in the centre of Manchester but no inference of him being in Any trouble so nothing to see here really, like you say . Looks like his mate mason holgate was looking after him too ?
— Tangerine Tony (@TangerineTony) October 12, 2020
Go on Jerry lad u need to start banging the goals in as well as the birds
— danny smith (@dannysmith1980) October 12, 2020
Nice crepes @yates_jerry
— Swindon Fan TV (@swindon_fanTV) October 12, 2020
The state of those idiots!
— MrManchesterUK (@MrManchesterUK1) October 12, 2020
FFS Jerry ??
— Adam Taylor (@seasider_adam) October 12, 2020
And they say footballers are thick as sh*t!! Good lad @yates_jerry ???
— Christian Kostiuk (@Kozzy78) October 12, 2020
But it’s the government’s fault ?
— Tom Taylor (@Kippaxboys1981) October 12, 2020
Not one mask in sight. Then they wonder why we have the lockdown . Morons.
— Janet Howarth (@doolallymrsmop) October 12, 2020
Yep, not a great look is it? Not technically broken any rules though, as far as I’m aware.
— Matt Scrafton (@matt_scrafton) October 12, 2020
If he’s like this after a 1-4 defeat, imagine what he’ll be like after an actual victory ? straight to the brass house for Jerry
— Liam Ellis (@ellisliam95) October 12, 2020
All the players are really hurting. ??????
— Kev whitsey (@KevWhitsey) October 12, 2020
Numerous footballers have come under-fire and facing an investigation for breaking the rules this year, something already done by Nicolas Pepe, Granit Xhaka, David Luiz, Oumar Niasse, Kyle Walker, Morgan Gibbs-White, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Mason Greenwood.
Premier League stars were also criticised by Health Secretary Matt Hancock a few months back, telling top flight footballers to take a look at the NHS staff members who have sacrificed their lives in order to fight the coronavirus pandemic, and called on them to “play their part” and take a pay cut to look after others who are less fortunate.
“I think everybody needs to play their part in this national effort and that means Premier League footballers too,” the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care said.
“Given the sacrifices people are making, including some of my colleagues in the NHS, who have made the ultimate sacrifice and gone into work and caught the disease and have sadly died, I think the first thing Premier League footballers can do is make a contribution; take a pay cut and play their part.”
Mr Hancock’s call came after the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport chair Julian Knight urged the government to apply a windfall tax on clubs who use the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to their advantage, with a letter also sent to the Premier League chief executive Richard Masters, and he described the matter as “an obscene situation”.
Players hit back furiously, Wayne Rooney coming out and stating:
“If the government approached me to help support nurses financially or buy ventilators I’d be proud to do so – as long as I knew where the money was going,” the Derby County skipper wrote.
“I’m in a position where I could give something up. Not every footballer is in the same position. Yet suddenly the whole profession has been put on the spot with a demand for 30 per cent pay cuts across the board. Why are footballers suddenly the scapegoats?
“How the past few days have played out is a disgrace. First the health secretary, Matt Hancock, said that Premier League players should take a pay cut. He was supposed to be giving the nation the latest on the biggest crisis we’ve faced in our lifetimes.
“Why was the pay of footballers even in his head? Was he desperate to divert attention from his government’s handling of this pandemic?”
On the subject of the Premier League’s statement on lowering salaries, Rooney questioned the decision by the organisation to go public with such a proposal.
“It seemed strange to me because every other decision in this process has been kept behind closed doors, but this had to be announced publicly,” he added.
“Why? It feels as if it’s to shame the players – to force them into a corner where they have to pick up the bill for lost revenue. In my opinion it is now a no-win situation. Whatever way you look at it, we’re easy targets.
“The big clubs don’t need players to take pay cuts. Are you telling me Manchester United or Man City need 30 per cent of their players’ wages to survive? If that’s the case then football is in a far worse position than any of us imagined.”
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