Boyne

From 1973:

Melvine Malard signs for Chelsea!Chelsea is delighted to confirm the signing of Melvine Malard from Manchester United on a four-year contract. The French international is regarded as one of the most dangerous forwards in the game and will strengthen the Chelsea attack ahead of the new campaign. 'I'm so happy because I have a plan for my life and my career, and Chelsea were a part of that plan,’ said Malard, who recently turned 26. ‘It is a great club and a big club so I am very excited to get started. I have played against Chelsea a lot of times and have always lost so I know the team have good players. And I have known Sonia since I was 14 years old, so it is great to work with her again. ‘My objective is to become better every single day and to win trophies. I know Chelsea always have that as an objective and I have that ambition too. ‘I am also really looking forward to playing at Stamford Bridge on a regular basis. The atmosphere is incredible and the pitch is close to the fans, so you really feel their energy. I love that.' play video Video Melvine Malard is Chelsea 🎥✍️Melvine Malard has signed a four-year contract with Chelsea... The move reunites Malard with Sonia Bompastor, who first spotted the attacker’s talents when she was competing at a regional tournament in Clairefontaine, the home of French football, aged 14. Bompastor was working on the recruitment of young players for Lyon at the time and she encouraged Malard, who was born and raised in the small French island of Reunion near Madagascar, to move to mainland France and sign for Lyon’s academy. Malard agreed and duly impressed as a youngster at Lyon. She signed her first professional contract in July 2017 – shortly after her 17th birthday – and then made her senior debut a few months later. Melvine Malard is a Blue! The forward had already featured in Lyon’s victorious Champions League campaigns the two seasons previously when, following a successful loan spell at FC Fleury 91, Malard returned to come off the bench in the 2020 Champions League final. Lyon beat Wolfsburg 3-1 to lift the trophy for a third consecutive year and among her team-mates that day were Lucy Bronze, Kadeisha Buchanan and Ellie Carpenter. The following campaign, 2020/21, Malard established herself in the Lyon team and made her senior France debut in a win against Serbia. She scored 17 goals in 35 appearances in all competitions in 2021/22, Bompastor’s first as head coach, as Lyon won the domestic title and the Champions League. Malard started the final as Barcelona were beaten in Turin. Another league title followed before Malard signed for Manchester United in 2023, initially on loan. The move was made permanent after she enjoyed a successful first season in English football, including an FA Cup triumph. play video Video Melvine Malard's first interviewDiscover more about the French striker in our exclusive interview... Across her three seasons in the WSL to date, Malard has accrued 21 goal contributions in 57 appearances. She also has considerable Champions League experience: along with her four winner’s medals in the competition, she has scored 17 goals in 46 games. At international level, Malard is a regular for France and now has 41 caps and 14 goals to her name. She featured at both Euro 2022 and Euro 2025. We are thrilled to welcome Melvine to Stamford Bridge, and we can’t wait to see her in blue!

UEFA Europa League Third Qualifying Round DrawRANGERS have been drawn to face Jagiellonia Bialystok in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League. Derek McInnes’ men will come up against the Polish topflight side in their first European fixture this season. The first legs are due to be played on Thursday August 6, with the second-leg the following Thursday, August 13, subject to any necessary calendar adjustments. Supporters are encouraged not to book travel or accommodation until full fixture details have been confirmed.

As the Scottish Premiership season starts on 31 July I thought I'd start a new thread for 2026-2027. First game is away to Dundee United but before that friendlies against Saint Etienne and West Ham at Ibrox. @Mod please can you pin this thread. @erskblue @Scott @carrickblue @The Boehly Babes and @The Rising Sun and others.

Derek with a legend.

Thank f**k for that. The way the game was going, a cure for insomnia had been found.

At the World Cup. Four Chelsea greats together.

Everyone will remember that a number of supporters groups including the Chelsea Supporters Trust contacted the Metropolitan Police about events after the FA Cup match against Charlton in January. I received the following email from the Chelsea Supporters Trust earlier today: Following the events after Chelsea’s FA Cup tie at Charlton on 10 January, 2026, the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust (CST), working alongside the Chelsea Supporters Group (CSG), the Chelsea Supporters Club (CSC), and the Chelsea Disabled Supporters Association (CDSA), sought a full explanation from the Metropolitan Police regarding the treatment of Chelsea supporters. After extensive engagement, including raising the concerns reported to us by supporters and pressing for a formal review, we have received the Metropolitan Police’s response, which we are publishing in full below. While the Metropolitan Police maintain that the operational tactics used on the night were necessary to prevent disorder, they have acknowledged a number of shortcomings. We welcome the fact that these concerns have been recognised and that a number of improvements have been identified ahead of future fixtures. We expect the commitments outlined by the Metropolitan Police to be implemented in full. We would like to thank the many supporters who contacted us following the match to share their experiences. Their detailed accounts enabled us to robustly challenge what happened and ensure that supporters’ voices were heard throughout this process. As supporter organisations, we will continue to engage with the Metropolitan Police, Chelsea Football Club and other relevant authorities to ensure these lessons are acted upon and that supporters are treated with the respect, communication and care they deserve. Met Police Statement As outlined previously, this fixture was subject to evolving intelligence, indicating a credible risk of post-match disorder between supporter groups. In response, policing tactics were adapted dynamically during the match to prevent a breach of the peace. The decision to hold away supporters at the conclusion of the game was made in real time, based on updated risk assessments, and was considered necessary, proportionate, and ultimately effective in preventing disorder and ensuring public safety. Communication A consistent theme across the concerns raised relates to communication. The debrief found that messaging on the night was not as clear, timely, or coordinated as it should have been. This is an area the police, club and partners will look to address going forward. This impacted supporters’ understanding of police activity and contributed to frustration. Welfare and Facilities The decision to hold supporters outside the stadium, rather than within it, was influenced by the dynamic and unplanned nature of the situation, coupled with limitations in pre-identified holding options. It is acknowledged that this resulted in reduced access to facilities such as toilets, shelter, and refreshments. This is an area for improvement. Crowd Management and Movement Measures such as controlled release and cordons are designed to prevent surges, maintain order, and reduce the risk of opposing groups mixing. However, the debrief identified that greater clarity, planning, and communication are required to ensure these measures minimise distress to supporters. Support for Vulnerable Individuals Concerns regarding vulnerable individuals, including those wearing sunflower lanyards, are taken seriously. The debrief reinforces the importance of improved awareness and consideration of vulnerability within operational planning and officer briefings. Officer Briefing and Local Awareness It is recognised that some officers were not sufficiently familiar with local geography or transport options. This highlighted the need for improved briefing and stronger integration with transport and local authority partners. Actions and Improvements In response to the learning identified, the following actions are being progressed: Earlier and more frequent multi-agency planning for high-risk fixtures Development of dedicated, jointly owned communication plans Ensuring availability of communication equipment, including loud-hailers Pre-identification of suitable holding locations with access to welfare facilities Improved crowd flow and dispersal planning These measures are designed to ensure that future operations are safer, more coordinated, and more transparent. Conclusion While the tactics employed successfully mitigated a credible risk of disorder, we recognise that the experience for supporters did not meet expectations. It is worth noting that in similar circumstances where a risk of disorder is high a similar tactical approach could be deployed but with the learning captured by all should improve how this is delivered. The debrief process has been thorough, and we are committed to implementing the learning identified. On Behalf of Chelsea Supporters’ Trust