Marouane Fellaini has endured a lot since swapping Merseyside for Manchester. Derided as a symbol of the David Moyes regime, ridiculed by his own fans and, lately, held responsible for Louis van Gaal’s occasional lurch towards route-one football, the big Belgian has had more weighing on his shoulders than that trademark mass of curly hair. So the standing ovation he received from the majority of Manchester United supporters when he came off against Tottenham at Old Trafford last weekend will have been music to his ears. Marouane Fellaini fires Manchester United into the lead against Spurs, a reminder of his footballing ability . The Belgian trains ahead of United's crucial clash with Liverpool on Sunday, where he is sure to be involved . Fellaini has grown from a bit-part player last season to become a vital member of Louis van Gaal's squad . A well-taken opening goal with his left foot served as a reminder that Fellaini’s attributes are not just sandwiched between his chest and his head. There are those who will never accept that he is a true United player, who believe his very presence encourages United to play other than the United way. But as he prepares to make his first appearance on Merseyside since moving from Everton when Van Gaal’s side take on Liverpool on Sunday, the 6ft 4in midfielder has every right to feel that things are looking up. The £27.5million white elephant of Old Trafford has been reinvented as United’s not-so-secret weapon. The advanced role that Van Gaal has given to Fellaini led Sam Allardyce, of all people, to label his opponents ‘Long Ball United’ after the 27-year-old’s introduction off the bench helped salvage a 1-1 draw at West Ham last month. Fellaini starred in the 3-0 win over Liverpool at Old Trafford in December, and offers Van Gaal an alternative . Wayne Rooney celebrates with the big Belgian, who has scored five times for United this season . Fellaini was tainted, somewhat unfairly, by being the only signing made during David Moyes' summer in charge . Van Gaal doesn’t care. ‘Fellaini is a player that, when we cannot beat the pressure with quality, we can always beat with pressure — that is a quality,’ says the Dutchman. The transition from defensive midfielder, who first impressed Moyes playing for Standard Liege against Liverpool in the Champions League in 2008, to target man worked particularly well for Everton. But, unlike Van Gaal, Moyes did not feel comfortable deploying Fellaini in a similar role at Old Trafford, having drawn enough criticism merely for signing him when Cesc Fabregas was his priority in the summer of 2013. Disastrously, Fellaini ended up as United’s only signing and Moyes knew that he risked being accused of turning the Premier League champions into a poor imitation of Everton. The player was said to be ecstatic at signing for United, if a little overawed at the scale of the club. He struck up an immediate bond with fellow Belgian Adnan Januzaj and, later, Juan Mata, when the Spaniard joined the following January. By then it had all started to go wrong, a combination of injuries and sub-standard performances in a more defensive position confirming the fears of many United supporters. Last April, the now-defunct fanzine Red Issue mocked up an advert of his afro hair as a toilet brush with the slogan: ‘Flush a fortune down the pan’. Since the arrival of Van Gaal, the midfielder has been used as an outlet and a way of breaking teams down . The Belgian was given a rousing applause when he was replaced after a good performance against Tottenham . Fellaini was said to be devastated by it all, and even more so when Moyes was sacked later that month. He felt isolated and has since claimed that he was made a scapegoat for the club’s decline. One thing that never waned, however, was Fellaini’s determination to salvage his dream. When he returned from the World Cup last summer he held talks with Van Gaal, who reassured him that he would not be sold despite talk of a move to Napoli. The message had not reached United fans, some of whom sarcastically applauded Fellaini’s every touch in Van Gaal’s first home game against Valencia right up until the moment he scored a last-minute winner. Even then, it was assumed that his first goal for United would be his last. Five more have followed this season. Fellaini came off the bench at half-time to turn the game at West Brom in October and again at QPR in January. In between, he started in six successive wins before Christmas, ending with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Liverpool when he destroyed his old Merseyside rivals. While Moyes seemed loathe to play Fellaini off the striker, Van Gaal has returned him to his best role . Fellaini may suit slightly more 'long ball' football, but has shown he can be mighty effective for United . Now Fellaini is set to face them again on Sunday having won over at least some of his critics, much to the admiration of Phil Neville, his former Everton team-mate and United’s first-team coach under Moyes. ‘Last season Fellaini was getting ridiculed and the way he has come back from that has been fantastic,’ said Neville. ‘He’s won people over by being brave about the stick he was getting and never going missing in games, even when things were not working for him. ‘You also have to give Louis van Gaal credit. He has not been afraid of playing to Fellaini’s strengths despite being criticised for doing so. I think he has come up trumps.’

Marouane Fellaini endured a torrid season after joining Manchester United . David Moyes failed to get the best out of the former Everton midfielder . But Louis van Gaal has no qualms about using Belgian in advanced role . Fellaini has become Van Gaal's battering ram against tough opponents . CLICK HERE for all the latest Manchester United news .

 blunders, the Belgian has, in many ways, been the victim of his own mercurial style of play.
That, though, is about to change.
Jose Mourinho, a man renowned for his love of a good-looking footballer, has wasted little time in making Fellaini a centrepiece of his Manchester United side, deploying him as a number six, not a number eight, which has helped his tactical transition and given the forward much-needed rest.
Fellaini’s new role, it seems, allows him to play further forward, to use his intelligence on the ball and work in behind the opposition midfield. But what does it tell us about the United manager?
Let’s turn to 11 of the Portuguese tactician’s predecessors at Manchester United to find out:
1. Sir Alex Ferguson
Fellaini, despite his recent form, is not the first midfielder to be used as a No.6. Sir Alex Ferguson used his talents in that position during the 2005/06 campaign, starting with the 3-1 win over Manchester City. In the Premier League that season, he started 21 matches in that position. In the Champions League, Ferguson turned to him as a defensive shield once again. He started 5-0 against Real Madrid and, against Dynamo Kiev the following season, he was deployed for 75 of a possible 90 minutes in a 2-1 win, as well as starting in the Europa League. The Scot also preferred his use in the centre from the beginning, selecting Fellaini ahead of Roy Keane in the 3-0 away win against Arsenal.
Why this tactic?
Ferguson deployed Fellaini on the right in those games because he was much more efficient at protecting the defence than Keane was. It was a very different approach, though, and a very different player – Keane was not renowned for his play in the build-up. Ferguson needed a dynamic presence to help him play out from the back, as well as protect the back four. That is why he went with Fellaini, even if the Belgian was still used as a defensive shield in the middle as well, due to the lack of an anchor.
2. Louis van Gaal
Louis van Gaal, too, deployed Fellaini as a No.6 and also played out from the back. In his first season as United manager, Van Gaal was quick to change his line-


As a famous soap star in her home country, Mexican First Lady Angelica Rivera must have felt right at home during one highlight of her trip to the UK. Last night the glamorous wife of President Enrique Pena Nieto was feted at Buckingham Palace and today she dropped in on another famous stately home - Downton Abbey - to meet the stars of the costume drama. Perhaps the visit signals a new acting role for the 45-year-old beauty, who was joined on set by an elegant-looking Sophie, Countess of Wessex? Scroll down for video . Mexico's First Lady Angelica Rivera (third left) is joined by Sophie, Countess of Wessex (fourth right) on a visit to meet the cast of Downton Abbey, from left to right: Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Michelle Dockery and Sophie McShera . Ms Rivera holds a bouquet of flowers at the Corporation of City of London banquet at the Guildhall . Ms Rivera looked chic in a tailored black jacket with a bold black and white gingham fishtail knee-length skirt. The mother-of-three, who is famous in Latin America for playing La Gaviota - the seagull - in the hit Mexcian soap opera Distilling Love, carried a patent leather bag and wore her hair loose. Sophie looked classic and elegant in a Prada coat that she wore for the first time on her 50th birthday in January. She teamed it with Bruce Oldfield high heeled courts, a Sophie Habsburg Design bag called Moneypenny in burgundy and a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso watch. Her gold UFO earrings are favourites that she's worn on several occasions since 2005. The royal and Ms Rivera posed for a picture with Elizabeth McGovern, who plays Lady Cora, Hugh Bonneville aka the Earl of Grantham, Laura Carmichael who plays Lady Edith, Lady Mary actress Michelle Dockery and Sophie McShera who plays Daisy. It's not the first time Sophie has visited the set and the show's cast members have supported the Countess at events for Tomorrow's People, a charity helping disadvantaged people. Ms Rivera holds a bunch of flowers at the Lord Mayor of the City's dinner at the Guildhall . Angelica shows off her low, loose plait as she talks to Lord Mayor's wife Gilly Yarrow . Angelica and Lord Mayor's wife Gilly Yarrow talk before the official dinner at the historic Guildhall . Ms Rivera is welcomed by Gilly Yarrow (far left0, wife of the Lord Mayor of London . Angelica Rivera signs the Distinguished Visitors Book next to Gilly Yarrow, wife of the Lord Mayor of London Alan Yarrow, and her husband Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto . In November, the Countess attended a Tomorrow's People fundraiser at St George's church, London, with Downton stars including Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter and Penelope Wilton. However today's visit was a private one as she didn't announce it or post it on her royal diary. Ms Rivera then followed her day out on set with another lavish black tie event, this time at London's Guildhall with her husband who was resplendent in white tie and tails and a sash. The banquet is being thrown in their honour by the Lord Mayor and the City of London Corporation. Once again his wife showed off her impeccable taste with a floor-length black gown and a matching flowing evening jacket, trimmed with fur. As ever her jewellery was kept simple and her loose up-do  showed off two dangling diamond earrings. Last night, Ms Rivera and her husband were the guests of honour of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at a state dinner at Buckingham Palace. Ms Rivera and her husband President Enrique Pena Nieto were guests of honour at a banquet at the Guildhall . President Nieto and his glamorous wife arrive at the dinner held by the City of London Corporation . The couple have had a busy three days of official events including a state banquet last night . They were joined by the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Princess Royal and the Duke of York at the lavish event and dined on a menu of noisettes of Windsor estate lamb and spiced chocolate torte. Hollywood actress Salma Hayek was among the 170 guests and seated between Chancellor George Osborne and Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service Sir Jeremy Heywood on the horseshoe-shaped table, which was decorated with gold candelabra and elaborate pink, red, purple and green floral displays. Ms Rivera, who was seated between Philip and Prince Charles, was dressed in an asymmetric off-the-shoulder scarlet floor-length gown which co-ordinated with her husband's ceremonial sash. The Queen and Prince Philip hosted President Nieto and his wife Ms Rivera at Buckingham Palace last night . The couple looked elegant at the royal do and Ms Rivera's dress colour co-ordinated with her husband's sash . After a ceremonial welcome on Horse Guards Parade on Monday, the president and the first lady joined the Queen, Philip, Charles, Camilla, Andrew and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester for lunch in the Blue Drawing Room before going on to view an exhibition of Mexican items from the Royal Collection in the Picture Gallery. Among the exhibits was an embroidered leather and wood horse saddle which was presented to Philip when the monarch and the Duke watched a display of horsemanship during a state visit to the Latin American nation in 1975. The Duke patted the top of the saddle, which is engraved with the name 'Principe Felipe' in his honour as he spoke to Ms Rivera through an interpreter. At an exchange of gifts, the Queen gave the president a copy of a 17th century Adriaen van Diest painting of Buckingham House and a pair of silver framed photographs of herself and Philip. The first lady was given a Linley box. Ms Rivera laughed and joked with Prince Philip as he showed them a Mexican saddle engraved with 'Principe Felipe' - his name in Spanish - dating back to a 1975 visit to the Latin American country . Wearing a pristine white fit and flare tailore coat with black heels and fascinator, Ms Rivera is helped out of her car by a royal footman in full uniform .

Angelica Rivera is in Britain with husband President Enrique Pena Nieto . Mexican leader and his former soap star wife arrived on Monday . Were honoured yesterday by the Queen and Prince Philip with state dinner . Tonight they attended another lavish banquet, at the Guildhall, London .

, hosted by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Angelica, who was born in the UK in 1966, has admitted feeling very British while growing up in Leeds. But it was her husband’s decision to live in Mexico, where he was given a new life by his father-in-law and namesake, Enrique Pena Nieto, that brought them together, she told the Telegraph last year: “He was born in Leeds, which meant he was already used to adapting — and he also had a real British passport, so he could travel freely.
“He’s an extremely loyal person; as a young man, he was involved in the fight for democracy. He was in prison for nine months. He was an activist, a political activist, in a dictatorship and fought for a free country. That made a huge impression on me. We were both born with the idea that you have to fight for your country.”
Angelica, an actress and businesswoman, and Enrique started dating in 2003. “He was the only person who wanted to marry me,” she recalled. “My mother thought, ‘I don’t know about this one’. I told her, ‘But I do’.”
The couple married in 2007 in Mexico, followed by a grand reception in London for 600 guests two months later. Their daughters, Frida and Mariana, were born two years apart in 2000 and 2001.
With her flawless complexion and glossy brunette locks, Angelica could easily be a British actress. She played an influential female politician in one of Mexico’s most popular telenovelas, or TV shows.
She told the Sun last year: “I had a very glamorous role with all these political meetings, wearing beautiful dresses and high heels. As an actress, it was a good exercise for me because my real background is not in politics, but in glamour. And I like it.
“I don’t know how well-known British people are in Mexico, but in Spain there is always a curiosity of what it’s like in England. You have a monarchy, a queen. I have visited Spain many times but we’ve never been on an official visit.”
The Rivera family has also visited the UK for holidays. The couple recently purchased a seven-bedroom Grade II-listed manor house, with six acres of landscaped gardens in Wiltshire, where they can go for family get


The skills that come with lumberjack sports are traditionally left to big, burly men wielding axes and monstrous saws. But this is changing with women donning their 'lumberjill' boots and proving their place in the male dominated sports. Erin LaVoie from Washington has two world records and a multitude of wins under her belt but she insists her win  at Sydney's Royal Easter show is one of the biggest. Scroll down for video . Erin LaVoie from Washington has won the Ladies Single Handed Sawing Championship at Royal Easter Show . The 32-year-old competes in single handed sawing that sees competitors cut through 300 millimetre logs . Erin already has two world records under her belt and owns a CrossFit gym in Washington . On Sunday she won the Ladies Single Handed Sawing Championship that sees competitors slice through 300 milimetre logs with huge cross cut saws. 'The Easter show is one of the biggest competitions so it was a huge deal for me,' Erin told Daily Mail Australia. The 32-year-old also competed in the wood chop category which is usually her forte, but she says that she did not have a prime block of wood and this makes it much more difficult to carve up the log. Erin also competes in the wood chopping category . 'My fastest chop is 24 seconds and I have two world records in the underhand chop which are around 30 seconds,' she said. Whilst the quality of the piece of wood quality is the luck of the draw, the technique and equipment are not with top of the line axes costing up to $600. 'The axes and saws are not cheap, but they have to be top notch if you want to win,' Erin said. 'The maintenance of them is expensive too and you need to know where to go.' Women's prevalence in the sport is still scarce and many females must compete against males in order to be involved at all. 'I still compete against men in many competitions,' Erin said. 'It's obviously really tough as they can deliver so much power, but this means it's so much more rewarding when you win.' Women's involvement largely started with the Jack and Jill sawing division that sees a man and a woman working as a team to slice through the log. 'Mostly women get into it because their husbands need a partner for Jack and Jill so they train up their wives,' Erin said. 'But I do it because I love it and it's my thing.' Erin grew up with brothers and loved to do male things so when she noticed the lumberjack team training down the hall at her school, she signed up. After a short amount of time she was travelling and competing in various chopping and sawing competitions - and winning. Erin also competes against men and admits she loves the feeling of pride when she beats them . Her fastest woodchop is 24 seconds and she holds two world records in the underhand chop of 30 seconds . Although she owns a CrossFit gym in Washington, her training regime mostly consists of chopping and sawing logs in her backyard. 'I have a friend who is a logger, so that's super handy!' She said. The Royal Easter Show also contains a Junior Development Program for aspiring Lumberjacks to get involved. According to the ABC, 16-year-old Lucy Backhouse and her 13-year-old sister Kate are the only two females competing in this program. The sisters from New South Wales have gained quite a following and always get a large applause no matter how they place. 'It doesn't matter who comes first, we always get the biggest cheer because no girls do this sport,' Lucy said. It their mother, Wendy, three years battling with the Human Rights Commission for the sisters to be allowed to compete. 'A lot of people don't consider it a sport. But I like it because it is so different, it's a challenge and it takes stamina and technique,' Lucy said.

Erin LaVoie from Washington has taken out the Ladies Single Handed Sawing Championship at Sydney's Royal Easter Show . She also holds two world records for the underhand wood chop division . While Lumberjacks are commonly men, women participants are on the rise . A Junior Development Program has also been added to this years' show . It includes only two females who are sisters from New South Wales .

 industry.
Lumberjilling's roots can be traced back to the late 1980s, when a group of women in Ontario sought to make a name for themselves through competitive lumberjill sports, including log rolling, sawing and chopping.
The sport itself developed over time, with lumberjilling evolving into the skill-based competition that it is today.
Competitions are now more competitive, with rules regarding how the log is cut, the size of the pile and the log and axe used differing slightly from one tournament to the next.
Teams of two to four people compete in a series of timed events. Competitors have 90 seconds to cut a log into various lengths of wood. The longest log is worth 10 points and each team has two minutes to chop 10 chunks of wood. If the chunks fall to the ground or break, a point penalty is incurred.
After all events are completed, the overall points will be added up and the team with the most points is declared the winner.
Lumberjill teams have a number of different ways to express the sport - whether it's through a name, a slogan, mascot or dress.
There are many Lumberjill teams, with some of the most competitive lumberjill athletes from around Canada all competing on one team.
Teams are not only competing against other teams, but against each other, often resulting in the destruction of one or more team members.
Some lumberjills choose to compete in the 'Open' category, while some choose to compete in one of the four different age groups.
The Open and Masters (35+) competitions offer an overall prize, while in the 18-30 and 13-18 age groups the teams receive a placement for their achievements and their individual team members are eligible for a medal.
In the open and masters competitions, the team that wins the overall prize will receive $2,500 in prize money while their first place team members will each be awarded $1,000.
Some lumberjills have travelled hundreds of kilometres across Canada to compete on different teams, often travelling in groups of a few hundred.
These lumberjills often spend time bonding, relaxing at hotels and other accommodation and sharing in each other's victories or heartbreaks with other lumberjills who understand the competition.
Lumberjills who compete in the 'Open' category can also win up to $7,000 in prize money, with a


In seven years as Monaco boss Arsene Wenger was never once distracted by the lure of its famous casino. 'I spent a lot of time on the football pitches, I don't think anyone saw me in there,' said Wenger, as he arrived at the Stade Louis II on Monday night, aware that on his first competitive return to Monte Carlo he will be expected to gamble. Arsenal paid the price for taking risks in the first leg and lost 3-1. As a result history is stacked against them. In the Champions League era, no team has overturned a deficit of two or more goals having played at home first. Arsene Wenger knows he will be expected to gamble when he returns to Monaco for Tuesday night's match . Arsenal manager Wenger walks on the pitch at the Stade Louis II on Monday night ahead of their match . Arsenal will have to shine if they are to reverse the 3-1 deficit to reach the Champions League quarter-finals . Gabriel Paulista, Tomas Rosicky, Per Mertesacker, Santi Cazorla, Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil (from left to right) pictured during training on Monday . Delve back into the European Cup and Ajax were the last to manage it, when they needed a play-off to beat Benfica in 1969. Wenger was still playing for Mutzig in the French third division back then, and Monaco manager Leonardo Jardim was not yet born. 'The statistics are against us, we are conscious of that,' said the Arsenal boss. 'We have to give absolutely everything to make the stats lie. That's our desire. We believe we can do it and I'm confident we will. If we didn't believe we wouldn't be here. Football is not predictable. 'We totally missed the first leg, which was surprising. We did not play well. Sometimes in life if you miss a chance, you do not have a second chance, but we do, so we will play it fully.' But he would not commit to a gung-ho charge from the outset. 'Early goals or late goals but we need full power and must not forget the organisation and structure of the team,' he added. Disturbing stats lay behind the headline stat. Monaco have not lost a European tie at the Stade Louis II for 10 years. And they have not lost one at home by a score which would knock them out since Leeds won 3-0 here, nearly 20 years ago. Arsenal must score three and hope to keep Jardim's team at bay, something they were unable to do in London. Wenger has no shortage of creative flair at his disposal and backed France striker Olivier Giroud, who has scored six in seven, to make amends for chances missed at the Emirates Stadium. It might be easier if Monaco were not so miserly. But this team is built on a stern defence. They have conceded only once in the last 12 home games and did not let in a goal in three home Champions League group games. Despite all this, Arsenal captain Per Mertesacker echoed the idea that belief in the camp is strong, and has been improved by a team meeting in the aftermath of the first-leg defeat, three weeks ago. Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim speaks during his Champions League press conference on Monday . Jardim feels Arsenal still pose a threat even if Monaco carry a 3-1 lead from their first leg win at the Emirates . Monaco striker Dimitar Berbatov stretches as he joins the rest of his team-mates for a training session . Monaco train at their base in La Turbie in France as they prepare for the second leg against Arsenal . 'We have a second leg in this competition, thank God,' said Mertesacker. 'A lot of things went not so well in the first game, especially a few decisions which did not go for us. 'We know in the first leg we weren't up for it mentally. From the start you could feel that there was a bit of pressure and we couldn't cope. 'We feel like after that game we moved on and improved a lot. That is why we are confident that even away from home, we can beat any team in the world. 'Obviously we did something wrong to get that result but we can learn. We need a good performance. It is not going to be easy, but we would like to show a different face.' Arsenal vice-captain Mertesacker (right) joined Wenger at the press conference on Monday ahead of their tie . Mertesacker echoed Wenger's idea that belief in the camp is strong despite their 3-1 loss in the first leg . Monaco turned on the charm on Monday night. Vice-president Vadim Vasilyev met Wenger on his return to Stade Louis II and presented him with a framed collection of photographs to mark his time at the club. Wenger seemed more concerned about the state of the pitch and went out to inspect, even though his players had trained in England, earlier in the day. He came back with a positive pitch report. Arsenal's support in the 18,000-capacity stadium is expected to be boosted by their French fan-base, which is another by-product of the Wenger years, and they can cling to one positive statistic: the Londoners have not lost in 10 games in France. Even then, it might not be enough. 'Paris Saint-Germain knocked out Chelsea and showed the quality of work being done here in France,' Monaco boss Jardim warned. 'Who knows, this might be the year when France beat the English.' Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev presents Wenger with a framed collection of photographs on Monday . Wenger's seven years in Monaco saw him deliver the title in 1988 and the Coupe de France in 1991 . A younger-looking Wenger celebrates a goal in 1990 as he was given his chance as a young coach in Monaco . Wenger pictured in 1990 during a training session taken while he was manager of Monaco .

Arsenal face Monaco in their Champions League second leg on Tuesday . Monaco won 3-1 away at the Emirates in the first leg in February . Arsene Wenger feels Arsenal can overturn the 3-1 defeat in Monaco .

 on Wednesday, ahead of Monaco's return to the Europa League's knockout stages after a four-year absence. But he will have noticed this term the fortunes of his club continue to slip.
Last week Monaco president Dmitry Rybolovlev sacked coach Eric Gerets. It was an abrupt dismissal, only a little over a year after he had led the principality club to victory in the Ligue 2 play-off final, and a month after his team had progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time.
On Thursday Gerets took the unusual step of meeting the media to give his side of the story, claiming he had been given 18 months in charge of the club but in fact only six months to prepare for the new season.
'I was given a deadline of 10 July 2008, and if I did not manage to get the team ready for the season, I would be sacked,' he said. 'When we lost to Real Madrid away on 29 August, the president said he had no confidence in me. I was given a deadline of 31 July, but I do not recall this deadline being communicated to me by the president. I have no doubt that he communicated this deadline to Gigi Becali.'
Gerets was speaking to the press after the team's 2-0 win away at Reims on Tuesday (2/9), Monaco's 40th consecutive victory in Ligue 1 but a record-equalling 28th consecutive defeat in Europe, where they have played 29 games in all competitions without once managing a win.
'He's been sacked because he hasn't managed to meet Rybolovlev's criteria and expectations,' said Monaco president. 'If we don't achieve this season a minimum of 4th place in the league or second in the Champions League group stage, it will not be for lack of trying on our part.'
Rybolovlev is widely known as Monaco's so-called money man. In January 2004, his first month in charge, the Russian billionaire took control of the club from the Burlusconi family, who owned the club since 1998.
But Rybolovlev, who is worth around $1.8 billion (1.9bn euros) according to Forbes magazine, has never had to fund Monaco's transfer policy to such an extent, something which


A vitriolic letter written by the future King Edward VIII in which he branded the French Canadians 'rotten' and 'the completest passengers' during a tour of the country has emerged 96 years later. The Prince of Wales - the eldest son of King George V and Queen Mary - could not hide his resentment towards the French Canadians in the private letter he penned on a visit to Quebec. In the letter written a few months after World War One to his mistress Freda Dudley Ward, the 25-year-old Edward expresses his disgust at their reluctance to support the British Empire. Resentment: The Prince of Wales, pictured in November 1919 during his tour of Canada, criticised the French Canadians in a private letter calling them 'shirkers in everything particularly in war' Contempt: The future King Edward VIII scoffed at the French Canadians during his royal tour (pictured here) Stinging: In the letters, Edward describes the French Canadians as 'mostly a rotten priest-ridden community' In the recently unearthed letter, he says: ''These bloody French Canadians. 'The whole thing is a very delicate, imperial and political question which I don't attempt to understand though I do know they are mostly a rotten priest-ridden community, who are the completest passengers and who won't do their bit in anything and of course the war!!' After catching a train for Toronto he wrote of how he was relieved to be leaving the French Canadians. He added: 'They really aren't worth all the trouble I've taken to be out of the way polite to them, as they are shirkers in everything particularly in war as they all voted against conscription.' The First World War divided Canada, with the French-speaking population accused of not doing enough to fight against the Germans. Later on in the letter to the married socialite, the Prince of Wales derided the attractiveness of the local women. He described one of his hostesses as 'pompous and interfering'. Detailing a formal dinner he had attended, he quipped: 'Few of the women are worth dancing with and far less are in any way attractive.' At another party at a yacht club, he complained how there were '100 very plain women' there. Disgust: Edward said the French Canadians 'really aren't worth all the trouble' as they are 'shirkers, particularly war as they all voted against conscription' - he is pictured here in Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1919 . French Canadians are a major North American ethnic group and Canadian citizens derived from the descendants of colonists from France who arrived in New France (Canada) in the 17th and 18th centuries. When war was declared in 1914, Canada automatically entered as it was part of the British Empire. But by 1917 French Canadians only made up 21,000 out of 432,000 men, despite making up one third of the Canadian population. The French Canadians opposed conscription as they felt that they had no real loyalty to either Britain or France. The six-page letter was written by the future King to married mother-of-two Mrs Dudley Ward, years before he gave up the throne in order to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. Then 23, the socialite was married to Liberal MP William Dudley Ward, who apparently turned a blind eye to the affair. The letter is due to be sold tomorrow by International Autograph Auctions (IAA) at Nottingham Racecourse. It is expected to fetch £1,200 when it goes under the hammer. Richard Davie, of IAA, said: 'The Prince of Wales was a very patriotic gentleman and was known for wearing his heart on his sleeve. 'He obviously would have attended lots of dinners and events in Canada and gave very polite and diplomatic speeches but this letter to someone he trusted very much reveals his real innermost thoughts. 'He still clearly felt troubled by the role played by the French Canadians in the Great War, feeling they shirked their responsibilities. 'I am quite sure he intended these thoughts to remain private and never expected them to become public at any time.' Edward abdicated in 1936 (pictured addressing the nation) so he could marry American Wallis Simpson . Edward was an army officer during the First World War. Although as heir to the throne he was prevented from fighting, he made a number of moral-boosting trips to the Western Front and was very popular with the troops. Edward was the Prince of Wales from 1911 until 1936 when he became King, a reign that only lasted 11 months when he abdicated so he could marry American  Wallis Simpson. The Prime Minster and many others opposed the union because Wallis had already been divorced once and was in the process of divorcing her second husband, so the King chose to abdicate instead of giving up his lover. His younger brother George, who served in the Royal Navy during the war, succeeded Edward as King in 1936, the details of which are popularised in the film 'The King's Speech' starring Colin Firth.

Future King Edward VIII called French Canadians 'rotten' in private letter . Derided them for being 'shirkers' in not supporting British Empire in WW1 . WW1 divided Canada, with French-speakers accused of not doing enough . Letter was written by Edward to mother-of-two Freda Dudley Ward, 23 . The married socialite was the future King's lover between 1918 to 1923 . He became king in 1936 but reign lasted only 11 months as he abdicated . Gave up the throne so he could marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson .

– as he was known – toured Canada in 1919 when he was not yet king, but the letters, revealed by the Canadian Jewish News, show that he already saw himself in the crown role and would stop at nothing to gain his independence.
The papers also revealed that the future king had an affair with American socialite Wallis Warfield Simpson, who he was planning to marry at the time of his death on December 20, 1936.
The tour began with a triumphant state visit to Britain but relations deteriorated rapidly after an unexpected stop in the country which is now known as Quebec. Edward stopped off in Quebec City, the capital, and in Montreal. It was the first visit by a reigning British monarch, and the first such official state visit to Canada.
The royal couple were greeted in a 1,200-foot-long receiving line by 1,200 people, including 300 uniformed cadets.
The visit is considered "one of the most controversial state visits ever to take place" and the letters – written on lined hotel notepaper – show how the Prince of Wales saw Canada as a playground for him to indulge his infatuation with his future wife.
"This is one of the worst countries I have visited," he wrote in an unguarded moment to his mother, the Duchess of York, now known as Queen Elizabeth. "This is the rottenest country in the world. As far as the Canadian girls are concerned there are not one who would pass muster at home.
The Prince and Princess in Montreal in 1919.
"When I leave here, I am going to the house of Mr Smith who I think has some of the rottenest French girls I ever saw. But if you had been up to the place where I am now, you would have had your hands full."
Edward was clearly looking forward to the opportunity to spend Christmas with his mistress. He wrote to his mother that the people here were "not nearly civil to anybody."
"The people are very, very nice – very, very simple, very rough and quite the rudest lot I ever saw," he wrote. "They have the most complete passengers one ever saw and I find it difficult to get a 'how do you do?' out of most of them."
The Canadian Jewish News described the letters as showing "the future king as he probably saw himself at the start of his 12-year reign" and described his


Despite the ever growing popularity of online dating, virtual platforms are no match for interactions in the real world when it comes to finding true love, a new Australian study has found. Almost half of all Aussies surveyed by ticketing company Eventbrite said they met their partner at a live event. One in three people said they'd exchanged phone numbers at an event with someone they fancied and one in ten said they'd fallen in love. The survey found the most common hooked-up hotspots were live sporting and music events, followed by business and networking events. Scroll down for video . The most common places to meet a potential life partner in Australia are sports and music events, followed by business and networking events, according to the EventBrite survey of 1000 Australians . Passions in common: Kari Vallury met her husband Trillock at a world music event. The couple married last year at Adelaide's WOMAD music festival surrounded by 170 family and friends. From a survey of 1,000 Australians commissioned by EventBrite: . 35% of people (1 in 3) exchanged numbers . 32% of people (1 in 3) kissed someone . 30% (1 in 3) Approached someone they fancied at an event . 24% of people (1 in 4) held hands with someone new at an event . 16% of people (1 in 6) slept with someone they met at an  event . 10% of people  (1 in 10) have fallen in love with someone they met at an event . 41% of people said 'None of these' Food and wine, educational and fundraising events also featured in the study as likely places to find that special someone. The odds might be encouraging for hopeful singles jaded by too many uninspiring online connections. Of the 100 survey respondents, 32 per cent, or one in three people, said they had exchanged a kiss with someone new at a live event. One in six people had slept with someone they met at an event and one in ten said they'd fallen in love. When it came to preferences between virtual dating and real-world romance, the real world won out by a long mile. 97 per cent of people surveyed said they'd prefer to initiate a conversation with someone they fancied than to 'like' a photo of them on social media (just 3 percent) and 93 per cent of people said they'd rather lock eyes with someone across a room for the first time than receive a friend request on Facebook. As things develop, 95 per cent of people said they'd rather introduce their new mate to their friends in person than post a 'selfie' with their date to social media. The vast majority of people (92 per cent) would rather introduce their new lover to their parents than change their relationship status on Facebook. 'No replacement for real life connections': 93 per cent of survey respondents said they'd rather lock eyes with someone across a room than receive a friend request from a love interest on Facebook . 'While more and more first time interactions are being formed via apps and social media, the study findings are resounding proof there is no replacement for real life connections in taking a possible love match to the next level,' said Laura Huddle, Head of Marketing at Eventbrite Australia. 'Live experiences of all shapes and sizes bring people together to celebrate their common interests and passions,' she says. 'Being in a place with like-minded people and similar interests encourages people to be open and live in the moment.' It was certainly true for South Australian couple Kari and Triloks Vallury, who met at a world music event at an Adelaide bar and, after 18 months together, decided to get hitched at the city's famous WOMAD music festival last year. 'We hoola hooped in the gardens:' Kari and Trillock Vallury met through their shared love of music and were married 18 months later at WOMAD . 'We both love WOMAD. The food and ambience is everything we would want at our wedding. Trilok suggested it as a joking idea at first, but I contacted them and within a few months we got married there!' says Kari. She says 170 family and friends celebrated their union with them at the festival and the best part was not having to organise entertainment. 'We did the ceremony as soon as the gates opened, before the music started. We then went to see several bands with a big following of guests, ate great food from the Womad vendors and hula hooped in the gardens.' With the Australian festival season in full swing, now could be the perfect time to get out there and find your perfect match.

New study says you could be looking in the wrong place if you're only looking for love online . The survey of 1000 Australians found 1 in 3 people exchanged phone numbers and kissed someone new at a live event . 1 in 10 people said they fell in love after meeting someone at an event . 93 per cent of people would rather lock eyes with someone across a room than receive a Facebook friend request from someone they fancied . The most common hook-up hotspots are sporting and music events .

 they had met their significant others in the physical world and 64 per cent admitted they were worried about this trend as less young people were meeting in ‘real life’.
“These statistics should be a wakeup call to people who are only finding love behind a computer screen and those who are hoping to meet their future significant other at an online dating event,” said Matt Walford from Eventbrite Australia.
Almost three quarters of respondents in the study (71 per cent) admitted to going on at least one dating site or app and 63 per cent said they had used social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter to find their significant other. Over half (53 per cent) admitted they found a romantic partner on their phone in the last two years, and over two thirds (68 per cent) said they would consider dating someone they met on a dating site.
The survey of 1,050 Australians found that there are many reasons for wanting to date offline. Nearly three quarters (73 per cent) said it was better to meet someone in the real world as it was more exciting than meeting someone online. An overwhelming 81 per cent of women in the study said it was easier to be more discerning of a match when meeting someone in person compared to online.
“As an industry, we want to create opportunities for people to meet in the real world,” said Walford.
“Our industry is driven by the energy of real life events. We don’t just sell tickets, we sell experiences. Whether it’s a festival, a movie, a concert or even a yoga class. We know that people like to meet new people at real life events as it is a great way to get out, make new friends and to see things they may have not experienced before.
“We need to embrace the world that these new digital technologies have opened up and help people to make the transition from ‘app’ to ‘real life’.”
The study found that almost half of all Aussies admitted they had a preference for using a specific dating app or site to help them find their true love. More than half of all respondents (57 per cent) admitted to using online dating apps or websites to help them find true love and 68 per cent said they thought it was ‘normal’ to use such apps.
Almost two thirds (64 per cent) of Aussie daters who used dating apps or websites said they did so to find love. Nearly six in ten (59


One is an eminent scientist whose life story has been turned into an acclaimed film that has won actor Eddie Redmayne an Oscar. The other is a former self-employed businessman and father of three who enjoyed skiing, camping and hiking. But Professor Stephen Hawking and Steve Isaac both battle with motor neurone disease, a degenerative illness that has left them unable to move or speak. Steve Isaac, pictured with his son Fraser, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in February 2010 . Mr Isaac, pictured on a holiday with wife Debbie, has revealed he wants to end his life on his own terms . The 56-year-old former businessman, from Hampshire, relies on a computer system to communicate . While professor Hawking, 73, has flourished despite his disability, writing the best-selling novel a Brief History of Time, Mr Isaac, 56, has reignited the debate on the right to die, telling a documentary he wants to end his life on his own terms. Mr Isaac, who lives in Hampshire, has already been rendered unable to speak by his degenerative condition and like Professor Hawking, he relies on a computer system to communicate. His works by moving a cursor with his eyes and blinking to type but doctors have told him his eyes could also give in to the disease, which causes paralysis, and Mr Isaac has made it clear that it is at this point he would not wish to continue living. For four years Mr Isaac allowed his filmmaker son Fraser, 24, to record his decline in order to raise awareness about the illness and the truth about the devastating impact it has had on his family. Mr Isaac, pictured with wife Debbie and son Fraser, has already been rendered unable to speak by his degenerative condition . Mr Isaac allowed his filmmaker son Fraser, 24, to record his decline in order to raise awareness about the illness and the truth about the devastating impact it has had on his family (pictured) Appearing in Channel 5’s Filming My Father: In Life and Death , Mr Isaac, tells the camera: ‘If I am no longer able to communicate, so as to express my opinion, and this is verified on two occasions, 48-hours apart, by two doctors, then I would wish for my ventilation to be stopped and to manage my peaceful death.’ His wife of 30 years, Debbie, 55, said the achievements of Professor Hawking, make it harder for others with the disease who are expected to cope just as well with the condition and flourish. After the film The Theory of Everything thrust the academic’s long life and success into the spotlight and won Redmayne, 33, an Academy Award for his portrayal of Hawking, Miss Isaac said people do not realise he is an ‘exceptional’ case. Mr Isaac is the latest in a long line of terminally ill patients who have demanded for the right to end their lives, most notably Debbie Purdy, who died in December last year at the age of 51 after a year of refusing food. Debbie, 55, said the achievements of Professor Hawking (pictured), make it harder for others with the disease who are expected to cope just as well with the condition and flourish . She lived with multiple sclerosis for almost two decades and was a vocal campaigner for the ‘right to die’. Under current laws in England, it is an offence to encourage or assist anyone to commit suicide. However, campaigners last night raised concerns that the programme could ‘normalise’ suicide for the disabled and said the focus should be on improving quality of life. A spokesman for Care Not Killing said: ‘We have deep concerns about this programme. It’s vital that we do not normalise, in any way, suicide as an option for those who are disabled. 'There are many people who are suffering from a whole raft of debilitating conditions who would be horrified at the suggestion that they should end their life. 'What we need to be doing is focussing on how we ensure he has the very best quality of life and doesn’t feel like he is becoming a financial or care burden on his family or on society as a whole.’ While Mrs Isaac does not want to lose her husband and the father of her three children – Carly, 27, and twins Fraser and Hannah – she supports his wish to choose when and how he dies. She told the Mail: ‘Steve should have what he wants. Either way I don’t like the idea of losing him but I believe strongly that it’s his life and he should have what he wants. You have all of these thoughts and emotions but at the end of the day it is down to him. ‘I can’t imagine what it will be like when we get to that but that’s what I believe. It’s his life and he should be able to choose. Mr Isaac is the latest in a long line of terminally ill patients who have demanded for the right to end their lives . The documentary follows Mr Isaac’s struggles from diagnosis in February 2010 to his decision to have a tracheotomy in August 2014, hoping it would allow him to live a further three years . The family say the aim of the documentary, broadcast next Wednesday, is to increase awareness of the disease . ‘The whole thing is quite surreal, having end of life conversations, but he’s open enough to talk about it and while he wants to live if he can’t communicate that’s the time he wants to end it. 'You don’t get any practice at this, you’re just in it. There’s no way out and no happy ending. We know we’re going to lose him but as to how, if he can’t communicate that’s the time.’ But it is not a decision that sits easily with the whole family and Fraser reveals his concerns to the camera. He said: ‘He says he wants to be switched off after he can’t communicate but I can’t actually imagine doing the tests and being like “can you respond?” How do you judge what communication is? ‘For him to be completely himself and alive and for us to say okay, bye dad, you can’t communicate, and just turning off the machines. That to me is the worst way to go.’ The family say the aim of the documentary is to increase awareness of the disease. Mrs Isaac claims the public view it largely through the lens of its most famous sufferer, Professor Hawking. However, as he was very young when he was diagnosed, it progresses much more slowly than usual. Even allowing for this, Professor Hawking’s longevity is remarkable. While Mrs Isaac does not want to lose her husband and the father of her three children – Carly, 27, and twins Fraser and Hannah – she supports his wish to choose when and how he dies . The impact the disease has had on Mr Isaac's family is laid bare in the documentary, to be broadcast on Wednesday . Mrs Isaac said: ‘People don’t understand at all. People might see a tiny touch of it but they are not there to witness it, it’s ghastly. It’s a disease people just don’t know about. They might know the name, they might know it through Stephen Hawking. 'I’m not medical but even I know he’s the exception to the rule. People look at him and probably think people with motor neurone disease will live a very long time. His is an extremely exceptional case.’ The impact the disease has had on his family is laid bare in the documentary, to be broadcast on Wednesday. It follows Mr Isaac’s struggles from diagnosis in February 2010 to his decision to have a tracheotomy in August 2014, hoping it would allow him to live a further three years. In the intimate footage, which lifts the lid on what it is really like to live with a motor neurone disease sufferer, Mrs Isaac talks candidly about the strain it has put on their family and relationship. She said: ‘It’s incredibly hard. I don’t want to be a widow and I don’t want to lose him but how much more can you cope with? ‘I’m really shocked. I thought, when he became ill we’d almost become closer and closer but almost it’s the opposite and I can’t believe that’s happened. I’m shocked that it draws people apart rather than together.’ Speaking about the tracheostomy she added: ‘I was thinking the other day, if it was my decision, not that it ever would be. 'It would be so hard to say no knowing that he wants it but really and truly, I think myself and the kids are just exhausted with the whole thing and he’s going to die, really, really sadly he’s going to die. 'Be it tonight or tomorrow or in a month or two months or a year. It’s just dragging out the inevitable. So if I had to say, I would say don’t do it.’ Filming My Father: In Life and Death (Verve Productions/Channel 5) will be broadcast on March 11 at 7pm on Channel 5.

Steve Isaac was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in February 2010 . 56-year-old, from Hampshire, relies on a computer system to communicate . Former businessman reveals he wants to end his life on his own terms . Mr Isaac allowed 24-year-old filmmaker son Fraser to record his decline . He wants to raise awareness of the illness and its impact on his family . Filming My Father: In Life and Death will be broadcast next Wednesday .

 Hawking and I have something in common – we are both in a relationship with a beautiful woman.
You will not find the details of my marriage in an interview or on Facebook or anywhere else for that matter. Indeed, until recently, most of my colleagues knew nothing about my relationship because it is conducted in a discreet manner and only a few of my closest friends and colleagues were aware of my partner’s existence. The subject only became public when I wrote about it for a BBC Radio 4 programme that I have presented for more than 10 years.
However, a few days after that programme, which was broadcast a couple of months ago, an article appeared in the Daily Telegraph suggesting that I was “a doting old man, secretly obsessed with his gorgeous 39-year-old girlfriend”. The newspaper even implied that I had a “sham marriage”.
I was utterly dumbfounded. How on earth could the Daily Telegraph know that? And why would they choose to spread such blatant lies and false accusations?
I’m in a beautiful marriage to a woman who I love dearly and we have been together for more than a year. I am devoted to her and we have a wonderful relationship and are great companions. She has given me the most wonderful gift, the gift of love. We get on very well and, of course, like any couple, we do sometimes argue, just like any other married couple, but this is normal and healthy. We are happy together.
So why, of all the subjects out there, did the Daily Telegraph choose to make a (wrong) story about us when we were not engaged in anything controversial or sensational, but rather enjoying a normal and peaceful relationship?
The answer is simple, but shocking. They had to invent a story because they have nothing else – they are a gossip tabloid, and their readers are all busy talking about the royal baby, so they decided to run a story about me. As a scientist, I am interested in information and I would like to know what actually motivated them to do what they did. The most obvious explanation is money, but the second explanation is of greater significance.
The Daily Telegraph is a profit-making organisation. As any other commercial organisation, the Daily Telegraph is interested in selling more copies of its newspaper by making readers feel a sense of outrage or interest.
When I was first contacted by the Daily Telegraph about doing an interview about my life and work, I refused, fearing that, having read a few articles


Comedian Russell Brand has revealed his plans for a new chain of non-profit businesses which would boast their own currency. The left-wing activist was on the New Era council estate in Hoxton, east London, to open a new cafe today where he gave a speech - hours after he was voted one of the world's greatest thinkers. Brand said he will donate all money from the paperback sales of his book 'Revolution', to The Trew Cafe, which will be staffed by recovering addicts undergoing 'abstinence-based recovery'. Russell Brand spoke outside the Trew Era cafe, which opened today on the New Era council estate in Hoxton, east London . The left-wing activist told the 200-strong crowd that he plans to donate the money made from his book 'Revolution' towards the cafe . It is also on the site where he previously helped locals protesting against rent increases and possible eviction despite living in a £2million bachelor pad owned by a firm based in a tax haven. Speaking outside the cafe, which is named after the estate fused with his YouTube show, The Trews, he said: 'It is a model that is not for profit, a fully self-supporting, new economic enterprise.' He ambitiously claimed that he plans to set up more of these social enterprises, adding: 'Eventually we will trade with one another in our own currency. 'We are going to create our own systems, our own federations, our own currencies, our own authorities.' He was joined at the opening by several local residents including Lynsay Spiteri (right of Brand), Danielle Molinari (far right) and Lindsey Garrett (left) Brand claimed that he plans to set up more of these social enterprises which will trade in their own currency . The 39-year-old, who was joined by a crowd of 200 supporters, also accused mainstream political parties of abandoning people on inner city estates. 'As long as you have only got parties that are interested in causing division, hatred and representing big businesses, we will create our own systems,' he said. 'Politics is dead, this is the end of politics. What we are discussing is what comes after, something worse or something better.' He met with several residents today on the same site where he previously protested against rent increases and possible eviction . The stand-up act added that 'it is not a charity, it is a new business model', describing it as a place for local people to get together and eat food grown and made in the community. It came the day after he was named as the world's fourth greatest thinker by readers of intellectual magazine Prospect. The self-styled revolutionary beat the likes of Nobel peace prize winner Henry Kissinger and Booker prize recipient Hilary Mantel to make it into the top ten list of influential minds. In its latest edition, Prospect described Brand as 'the spiritual leader of Britain's disaffected anti-capitalist youth', but it has since faced backlash for including the anarchist on social media. Drayton Bird wrote on Twitter: 'Beyond parody: if this wag is a great thinker, my vote goes to Peppa Pig.' Tim Walker added: 'A generation or so ago, Bertrand Russell was considered to be a great thinker. Now, comically, it's Russell Brand.' The television and radio presenter  lost his BBC Radio 2 slot over prank calls to actor Andrew Sachs in 2008. Since then the millionaire attempted to re-brand himself as an anti-capitalist revolutionary, but it has been mired in doubt as celebrities including Simon Cowell accused him  of hypocrisy. He accused the comedian of accepting large Hollywood film salaries whilst campaigning against the UK political system. The stand-up was named as the world's fourth greatest thinker by readers of intellectual magazine Prospect .

Russell Brand was on council estate in east London opening a cafe today . He spoke outside Trew Cafe, which is staffed by recovering drug addicts . Left-wing activist said he will set up more enterprises using own currency . Self-styled revolutionary named world's fourth greatest thinker by Prospect .

 to mark his first official day in charge as mayor.
Brand said: “There’s more to life than profit — I want to create social enterprise and show them how it’s done. What I propose is that on 11 July we will launch the New Era Pound, to be used as a community currency to boost local businesses and trade.”
The comedian added: “It will be a means of empowering communities in the inner cities. I’m thinking of having a community bank, with a chief trader, where people can come to deposit the pound and get loans to build businesses – and they will be paid back in the New Era Pound, which we can use to trade in the business.”
Brand said he planned to set up the cafe as a pilot project to demonstrate how local currencies could work. He told the Guardian: “This would be an actual New Era Pound, that would be spent with the businesses in New Era. They could do something similar with a currency in Brixton and an economy will start to grow. It’s the start of an economic revolution.”
Brand and his partner Laura Gallacher are the co-founders of the New Era community, an enterprise which they set up this year with the aim of “reducing poverty in the inner city” and to “strengthen communities”.
Brand also announced plans to start up three new social enterprises, one for women who have been in prison, the second for children with behavioural problems, and the third for people who are homeless and suffering from mental illness.
The 43-year-old said: “You know, there’s the rich in the west and the poor in the east. In Brixton, the rich people [are] the footballers – the famous people. I don’t want to pretend I’m a footballer. I’m a little man … I’m not an important man, I am the poor man.
“People like you and I are the same. We are all people. I want all of us to make a difference and create a New Era for humanity. It’s the most urgent thing that has ever faced us.”
On Tuesday, Brand announced his plans for the New Era cafe, which will open with the tagline: “Love Not Greed”. The comedian also announced he would be running for the leadership of the Green party, and called for a “green new deal”.
Labour’s deputy leader


This time last season there was sudden hope for Manchester United, too. From the mist of poor football and modest results emerged a 3-0 home win against Olympiacos in the Champions League. Glimpses of what we presumed was the real United were seen once more. A win at West Ham followed in the Barclays Premier League but then the opposition hardened. Manchester City arrived at Old Trafford and took another huge chunk out of United’s credibility. It was a crushing loss for United from which they, and manager David Moyes, never recovered. Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal pictured during his press conference on Friday . Van Gaal recognises the rivalry between United and Liverpool is among the most fierce in football . Once again this weekend, United will attempt to build on something they hope will prove to be of substance. Last weekend’s surprising 3-0 dismantling of Tottenham Hotspur has lifted spirits for Louis van Gaal and his team, but once again opposition of real calibre threatens to cast a shadow across United’s new dawn. And this time it is the greatest foe of all. Liverpool. The very mention of their name is enough to harden a Mancunian stare. ‘They will always be our greatest rivals,’ Sir Alex Ferguson used to say. At Anfield on Sunday, Liverpool and United begin in earnest a fight not for a League title or European eminence but for respectability. A scuffle for a top-four place is one motivated certainly by money but more by old-fashioned pride. For United, to finish outside the Champions League places once again is unthinkable. If they really are to find the form they will need to see them through an uncomfortable run of fixtures between now and the season’s end, one feels it really needs to start here. Wayne Rooney (centre) and his United team-mates train ahead of the trip to Liverpool on Sunday . Van Gaal revealed that the United team chef has been helping his side prepare for their Premier League clash . Antonio Valencia and Radamel Falcao battle for the ball during training on Friday ahead of Liverpool . ‘The win (against Tottenham) means nothing if you lose the next one and Liverpool is not a ground where this club has won a lot,’ said Van Gaal. ‘If we show that form again in Liverpool then we are little bit further along. For our fans, it’s the enemy and it’s very important. ‘But the last time they lost in the league was against us. It was a long time ago so this will be very difficult.’ Liverpool have issues of their own to deal with between now and mid-May. Raheem Sterling’s contract stand-off will worry them while Steven Gerrard’s farewell from the club this summer needs to be handled properly. On the field, though, Liverpool have the better form. Monday night’s win at Swansea was a little fortuitous but Liverpool are now unbeaten in 21 domestic matches and if that’s not daunting enough, they play exactly the kind of football the modern United hate. ‘I have played their system,’ said Van Gaal. ‘It’s not new.’ Juan Mata scores against Liverpool during their 3-0 pummelling at Old Trafford in December . The last time Liverpool lost in the Premier League was at Old Trafford against United back in December . Mata (from left to right), Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney celebrate during their 3-0 win over Liverpool . Van Persie celebrates scoring against Liverpool and United will hope they can do the same at Anfield . Nevertheless, while his own side currently tends to play football by numbers — methodical and at times predictable — Liverpool are more instinctive. Ironically, that was evident the last time Liverpool lost in the league, at Old Trafford back in December. The score was 3-0 to United that day but it was totally unrepresentative of the match pattern as their opponents began to use a three-man defensive line which manager Brendan Rodgers has stuck with ever since. ‘I was impressed that day,’ said Rodgers. ‘The result wasn’t great and we had criticism because we lost but I was pleased with how dynamic the team looked. ‘We looked fast again. That gave me the real confidence. I knew I needed to be radical because we were so far off from where we wanted to be. It’s about putting in place something the players can fully believe in.’ United manager Van Gaal will have to be on guard against an in-form Liverpool unbeaten in 2015 in the league . Liverpool play quickly and love to go on the counter-attack, which Van Gaal will have to prepare his team for . Liverpool, as we know, play quickly, love to counter and have the kind of midfield runners who trouble earnest but limited defensive midfield players such as United’s Daley Blind. If United are to profit on Sunday they must hope to take their opportunities and defend resolutely. It can be done, of course. For all Liverpool’s attacking prowess, they can have days when they hit brick walls, days when the timing is out. Rodgers still has not fathomed a Plan B and it’s worth noting that for all the plaudits which followed Liverpool’s recent win at home to Manchester City, both goals came from distance. United do generally defend well and their goalkeeper remains on form. The save David de Gea produced from Santi Cazorla towards the end of United’s FA Cup defeat at home to Arsenal 11 days ago was testimony to that. United goalkeeper David de Gea has been in fine form for Van Gaal in the Premier League this year . Liverpool must find their way past an in-form De Gea if they are to get revenge for their 3-0 defeat . A year ago, good goalkeeping was not enough to help United mask their deficiencies. As it turned out, their victory over Olympiacos was little more than a shaft of light during a season that resembled a nine-month eclipse. This time we still don’t know which way they are heading. On Friday night, Van Gaal suggested Sunday will not be definitive. ‘The fight will last until the end,’ he said. If it does, given their fixture list, the United manager will have done very well indeed.

Manchester United face Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday . Louis van Gaal recognises the great rivalry between the two clubs . The last time Liverpool lost in the league was against United at Old Trafford .

 United started to glimmer as we beat Manchester City and Chelsea in succession.
But a 1-1 home draw with Fulham, a disappointing home defeat to Stoke and a loss in the Bernabéu meant the euphoria soon subsided. David Moyes had signed new players but they never really integrated. The fans were getting restless and the mood at Old Trafford turned from the excitement of the previous months to concern.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in a United shirt. The club's record signing has only played 49 games and has yet to score a league goal.
Ferguson had been very vocal about his disapproval for Real Madrid's spending, but United and Moyes have also been spending - more than £250m in the past three years. They have yet to create cohesion between the players, with many signing but few playing together on a regular basis.
This is particularly apparent when comparing the team under Fergie with under Moyes. For example, last season's XI (without Juan Mata) had been together for around 1,300 minutes in their career and in the 13 league matches they played in, they had been together for a further 1,200 minutes.
Yet this season, the team that has played the most together has been a team that has only been in for 900 minutes. This is despite there being four signings – Luke Shaw, Ander Herrera, Marouane Fellaini and Victor Wanyama – who played last season for Moyes or Ferguson.
The team has been more coherent with players who were also playing regularly last season. There is continuity and a greater understanding between the players, as is evident from the greater possession stats. This was not replicated under Moyes.
So what is happening at United, or more pertinently, how has Fergusoo been able to create and maintain such great harmony in the past? It is, perhaps, simply down to him being more decisive in choosing players.
Under him, players are always on their best behaviour in terms of loyalty. He is able to bring out the best in them, whether it is the more seasoned ones such as Patrice Evra or Paul Scholes, or the more inexperienced, such as Ravel Morrison.
There is never any trouble or dissent from the squad, and when it arises in public, it is quickly solved.
In the past three years, the most dramatic moment was in the summer of 2012


Alex Salmond was ridiculed last night after he boasted of becoming Westminster’s king- maker while quaffing pink champagn . Alex Salmond was ridiculed last night after he boasted of becoming Westminster’s king- maker while quaffing pink champagne and saying that he ‘identifies’ with Nelson Mandela. Seemingly still unable to come to terms with his referendum defeat, the former First Minister continued to overshadow his successor Nicola Sturgeon with a self-regarding interview for New Statesman magazine. Before a vote has even been cast in the General Election, he predicted the stars will be in ‘alignment’ for his triumphant return to Westminster as power broker, and vowed to crowbar Ed Miliband into No 10. Mr Salmond also said he would make it impossible for David Cameron to govern if the Conservative leader fails to secure a majority in May’s election. Last night, Tory MSP Alex Johnstone said: ‘Nicola Sturgeon must wish that Alex Salmond would just shut up.’ Earlier this year, Miss Sturgeon slapped down her predecessor by insisting that she would lead any post-election negotiations at Westminster. But Mr Salmond continued to publicise his plans yesterday, claiming he would join forces with Labour to ‘lock out’ the Tories by voting down any attempt by Mr Cameron to pass a Queen’s Speech. Scottish Labour Party chairman Jamie Glackin said: ‘You’d be forgiven for thinking he was still leader of the SNP.’ The New Statesman article reveals how, during the interview in London, Mr Salmond ordered pink champagne to toast the launch of his widely mocked referendum diaries, accompanying it with fish, chips and mushy peas. Asked by the magazine which ‘historical figure’ he identified with, he replied: ‘Nelson Mandela. Everybody of my generation would say that.’ Mr Johnstone said: ‘Alex Salmond is fast becoming a figure of ridicule. This bizarre comment suggests that the former First Minister has unhinged himself from reality completely.’ The Tory MSP said the interview was ‘yet more evidence that Alex Salmond is a backseat driver, with Nicola Sturgeon looking on from Edinburgh wondering where the car is going’. Tory MSP Alex Johnstone (right) said new SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon (left) 'must wish that Alex Salmond would just shut up' Scottish Labour director of policy Blair McDougall said: ‘Pink champagne? Lah-di-dah! I’m sure the First Minister is really relaxed about Salmond’s boozy lunches with London journalists.’ Tory sources last night said that Mr Salmond’s comments showed the SNP was prepared to ‘sabotage’ the outcome of the election in order to put Labour leader Mr Miliband in Downing Street. Senior Tories are considering plans to run a minority government if the Conservatives emerge as the largest party in a hung parliament. But Mr Salmond said the (Fixed-term) Parliaments Act, which was passed by the Coalition, meant that the SNP could put Labour into power even if the Conservatives win more seats. He said the SNP – on course for an election landslide in Scotland – would not contemplate any deal with the Tories. Asked about the prospect of a minority Tory government, Mr Salmond replied: ‘The Tories would have to go straight effectively for a vote of confidence, usually the Queen’s Speech, although it could be otherwise, of course, and we’d be voting against. Salmond on… ordering pink champagne: . ‘To toast my book.’ Salmond on… which historical figure he ‘identifies’ with: . ‘Nelson Mandela.’ Salmond on… his recent weight gain: . ‘I’m about to go back on my diet.’ Salmond on… a second referendum on independence: . ‘It’s not a question of if, but when.’ Salmond on…. the number of Nationalist MPs elected in May: . ‘We will win a barrel-load.’ Salmond on… the SNP’s 2011 election landslide: . ‘It’s happening again.’ Salmond on… his referendum defeat: . ‘I’ve no doubt that Gordon Brown saved the day for No.’ Salmond on… his return to Westminster: . ‘I think the stars might be in alignment. I wouldn’t come to Westminster to make up the numbers.’ Salmond on… Tories in the Commons he admires today: . ‘I don’t really know them… William Hague.’ Salmond on… immigration: . ‘Does Scotland need more people? Yes.’ Source: The New Statesman . ‘So if Labour joins us in that pledge, then that’s Cameron locked out. And then under the (Fixed-term) Parliaments Act that Westminster passed but nobody seems to have read, you’d then have a two-week period to form another government – and of course you want to form another government because this might be people’s only chance to form another government.’ He said it was a ‘fib’ spread by Labour that the party with the most seats automatically won the right to try to form a government – pointing out that Labour’s first government in 1924 was formed after it came second. A spokesman for the Conservatives said: ‘Alex Salmond has confirmed he would sabotage the democratic will of the British people in order to make Ed Miliband prime minister. ‘That would mean chaos for Britain, with weak Ed Miliband dancing to Alex Salmond’s tune. The only way to protect Trident, keep Britain together and safeguard the economy is to vote Conservative.’ The former leader of the SNP said he indentifies with former South African president and anti-apartheid revolutionary Nelson Mandela (pictured) Mr Miliband moved to quell Labour panic in Scotland last week by ruling out a formal coalition with the SNP. But the UK Labour leader has refused to rule out a looser power-sharing deal. The SNP has made it clear it would extract a ruinously high price in return for propping up Mr Miliband in office, including £180billion of extra borrowing, ditching Britain’s Trident nuclear deterrent and insisting on sweeping new powers for the Scottish parliament that would leave the country reliant on dwindling North Sea oil revenues. Mr Salmond said the SNP would amend any Labour budget to introduce ‘progressive tax rises’ – likely to raise fears of big tax hikes for the middle classes. He also dismissed Labour suggestions it would not cut a deal with the SNP. He said the party would face a stark choice between doing a deal with the SNP, or allowing Mr Cameron to stay on as Prime Minister. Mr Salmond is favourite to win the Lib Dem-held seat of Gordon at the election. He is likely to return to Westminster as the effective head of the largest ever grouping of Nationalist MPs. He has also predicted that his party will oust both Labour’s election co-ordinator Douglas Alexander and the Lib Dem Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander from their Scottish constituencies.

Former SNP leader Alex Salmond is accused of being a 'back seat driver' It comes after he vowed to crowbar Ed Miliband into No 10 in May election . He  predicted the stars will be in 'alignment' for his return to Westminster . Salmond also 'identified' with  anti-apartheid revolutionary Nelson Mandela . Tory MSP Alex Johnstone warned he was becoming a 'figure of ridicule'

 quaffing pink champagn e in the House of Commons with his “Brat Pack”.
The SNP leader was accused of “living a double life” after it emerged he has given a series of speeches and interviews on the BBC about his role in politics.
He was pictured at a series of dinners over the past few months with former BBC colleague and Scotland on Sunday journalist Andrew Marr, who helped broker the deal that installed him as First Minister.
In one photo, taken earlier this week, Salmond is seen pouring champagne for Marr and a group of other guests at an office Christmas party.
His spokesman had claimed earlier in the week that his leader was “just not on TV very often”.
It came after he faced sharp questions at First Minister’s Questions yesterday. The 53-year-old was criticised by senior SNP figures for not making enough appearances in the past few weeks at First Minister’s Questions (FMQ) to answer questions on his plans for the country.
Salmond was spotted at the Conservative Party conference earlier this year, as well as at a Labour Party function.
But a number of SNP figures, including Finance Secretary John Swinney, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Westminster Leader Angus Robertson, had said they were surprised he had not been attending PMQs more regularly.
During a question in the Commons, Salmond was forced to admit that his absence from the chamber was due to a “very busy diary”. He also blamed the First Minister’s Question Time for the SNP’s refusal to attend FMQs. He said: “All of us get a very busy diary and as I have said before we will do FMQ more often but there is a very intense period in the House.”
Speaking in Edinburgh earlier this week, Salmond said he has not been able to visit the Commons as he is busy “trying to build the Scottish economy and trying to take forward the independence movement”.
He added: “That doesn’t mean I have forgotten who elected me and it certainly doesn’t mean I have any less respect for Parliament, the government of the UK or the democratic traditions of this country.”
The SNP leader went on: “I don’t want to spend five days of my life in Westminster every week. I am trying to make Scotland work and to make sure that people get jobs.
“To be honest with you, the idea that I should just appear


As Gareth Bale's season at Real Madrid continues to turn sour, the former Tottenham forward is continually being linked with a move away from the Bernabeu. Manchester United and Chelsea have both been credited with having an interest in bringing the world's most expensive player back to the Premier League. Sportsmail asked Chelsea fan Cody Taylor of 90min.com to give his thoughts about a possible switch to the champions elect. Gareth Bale has been criticised by supporters for his performances at Real Madrid this season . Bale performs his trademark celebration as he scored twice during Wales' 3-0 win against Israel on Saturday . Gareth Bale could be available this summer if various transfer reports are to be believed, so naturally Chelsea are being linked with an eye-watering bid - but we have to ask ourselves the question, is he necessary? On the face of it Bale is a good player. At Tottenham he dragged an average team out of hole after hole, but it's easy to be a big fish in small pond. As he's found out in Spain it's much harder in the big pond and that's what it will be like at Chelsea too. Overall he's not had the impact that the world's most expensive player should. There are plenty who would give up everything to have him, but we really don't need to be wasting time on a player that won't be a noticeable improvement, or even fit. Bale holds his hands to his head after Real Madrid were beaten by Barcelona 2-1 in La Liga . Bale leads the wild celebrations after he nets his second of the game against Israel in the Euro 2016 qualifier . Even with his array of qualities, for the money, Bale just isn't worth it. As good a player as he is, he wasn't worth the world record £86m Real paid for him in 2013, after what was effectively only one explosive season. He still isn't worth the £75m that the Spanish giants will allegedly settle for now. There's simply no room for him at Chelsea. Jose Mourinho already has a plethora of young, similarly able attacking players. Willian is not as glamorous as the rest, but even he is a crucial part of the team and the fans love him. The Brazilian doesn't score as many goals or provide as many assists as others, but he is the one above all else that never stops working hard and that type of attitude and passion is more important than everything. Bale reacts with disbelief after having a goal disallowed during the Clasico on March 22 . After the defeat by Barcelona Gareth Bale's car was attacked by angry aupporters . If Bale arrives he is unlikely to do the same and it would negatively change the whole balance of the side which Mourinho has worked hard to build. There is also Juan Cuadrado to think about. The Colombian hasn't shown anything like his best since arriving in January and isn't likely to before the end of the season. He is still settling in and just needs a bit more time before fans will eventually see the player that lit up last summer's World Cup. There's absolutely no point replacing someone before they've even started. Bale is being linked with move back to the England with Manchester United and Chelsea reportedly interested . The former Tottenham player attends an event with with young Jewish and Arab children in Israel on Sunday . Even just a few games away from claiming a well-deserved Premier League title though, any Chelsea fan claiming there is no need to improve with summer additions is a fool. The season has been far from flawless, but the key areas that need strengthening are defensive. If big money is to be spent it has to be used to address real issues, not bringing in additional unnecessary luxury. We are more in need of a centre-back, maybe a full-back, Paul Pogba even, but certainly not Bale. Mourinho has the good sense to see that and Bale in blue is highly unlikely. Besides, if he has any ambition to show himself to be anything other a massive flop, he should reject all offers and do his utmost to prove himself in Spain. For more fan views or to join the conversation visit www.90min.com.

Gareth Bale has been criticised by Real Madrid supporters this season . The Wales forward has been linked with a move back to Premier League . Manchester United and Chelsea have been linked with a move for Bale . Chelsea fan Cody Taylor discusses a possible switch to Stamford Bridge . Adrian Durham: Bale would be perfect for Chelsea, Arsenal or Man Utd . CLICK HERE for all the latest Chelsea news .

 most expensive player to England.
After winning four Champions Leagues in eight seasons at the club, Bale signed a bumper new contract in the summer which has now been described as a "ludicrously high salary" by former Spurs full-back Michael Dawson.
It appears Bale is not getting what he wants out of his game time at the Santiago Bernabeu, a situation which has been ongoing since Zinedine Zidane took over as manager of Los Blancos.
Bale is not a bad player. The problem is that he is a 'nice guy' in the eyes of some. A nice guy and a bad player can make an awkward combination, even for the best manager. And this has certainly been the case for the Welsh international at Real Madrid.
However, there are a number of Premier League clubs now looking at a potential solution to Bale's problems: the bench.
That's right, Spurs' problem child could yet be rescued by none other than the Red Devils. But United will not stop at one former Bale suitor, as Chelsea are also in the hunt for the 27-year-old's signature.
Jose Mourinho, for all his managerial achievements, has been accused of playing 'hardball' with Bale throughout the summer. The Portuguese coach was not overly keen to see the former Tottenham ace make his move to the La Liga giants happen, but it seems as though he would be more than willing to consider Bale in a part-exchange deal.
Now, the transfer business is a game of money, but sometimes money talks louder than words, and in this case, it is likely that Mourinho would be able to get his man.
It has been reported in recent weeks that Mourinho has been "tapping up" Bale, but now the Portuguese is not only tapping into his inner "hardball", but the Red Devils are now going to great lengths to lure the out-of-favour Bale to the United of Old Trafford.
In my opinion, a loan deal for Bale seems to be the most likely outcome in terms of this transfer, as the Red Devils do not want to pay up for an out-of-form Real Madrid player for any amount of money.
As I have said, Bale does not deserve to play for United on a full-time basis, but then again, a three-year loan spell at Old Trafford could be the best place for him to rejuvenate his career.
M


(CNN)Buddy Elias spent much of his life preserving the memory of his cousin Anne Frank. His death Monday brought back memories for me. We met three years ago in an Atlanta hotel conference room. He and his wife, Gerti, were touring the United States to promote a new book. I could tell instantly that he was related to Anne. His face resembled hers so much that it felt almost as though I was meeting her in person. "Anne Frank's Family" had just been published, based on 14 boxes of letters, postcards, photos and documents that Gerti accidentally discovered in the attic of their house in Basel. Elias told me that it wasn't just Anne who loved to write; everyone in the family did. The 6,000 recovered documents told a story of a family torn apart by war and anti-Semitism. That day in Atlanta, I listened to Elias tell me about loved ones he lost. He told me he was lucky that his family had remained in neutral Switzerland when World War II broke out. I thought back to our conversation Thursday when I learned the news of Elias' death. He died peacefully at his home in Basel, Switzerland, at 90, said an announcement posted on the website of Anne Frank Fonds, the foundation that Elias headed. Like millions of people who read "The Diary of Anne Frank," I was deeply influenced by her words and in awe of her family's courage. Anne received her diary on her 13th birthday and wrote in it for the two years that her family hid from the Nazis in the secret annex of an Amsterdam apartment. I was only in seventh grade when my father bought me the book in 1975. After the family was discovered, they were sent to Auschwitz. Later, Anne and her sister Margot were taken to Bergen-Belsen, where they both died in March 1945. Her father, Otto Frank, was the sole survivor of the family, one of only 7,000 people who made it out alive from Auschwitz. In the course of my two hours with Elias, I learned new things about the young, Jewish girl whose journal is arguably the most famous in the world. She called him Bernd, short for Bernhard, Elias' formal name. In his youth, Elias was an actor and a skater with Holiday on Ice. He was her first cousin and 4 years older. They adored one another. "Bernd, maybe we can skate as a pair together someday," Anne wrote in January 1941 from Amsterdam. "But I know I'll have to train very hard to be as good as you are." In another letter, Anne outlined the steps to their skating routine and drew a picture of the blue, fur-trimmed dress she would wear when she finally skated with Elias. "She never did get to do that," Elias said. On his 17th birthday in 1942, she asked him how it was going with a girl he had met. It was an ordinary letter that one keeps like any other. But it turned out to be her last to him, and he preserved it like a relic, as proof of his cousin's affection, as something to treasure. "That was the last sign of life I had with Anne," Elias told me. After the war, Otto Frank searched frantically for his family and eventually learned their cruel fate. He published Anne's diary in 1947 and helped transform it for the stage and film. He created the foundation in her name in 1963. The first edition of the diary was in Dutch. Elias told me he had to wait several years for a German language edition before he could read it. That was when he came to truly understand his childhood playmate. By the time he read her words, he had not seen Anne in many years. In his mind, he treasured the image of a spunky girl who loved the Jack-in-the-Box puppet shows Elias staged and played hide-and-seek. "Anne," he said, "was always good at hiding." I wondered whether he caught the irony of his own words. Otto Frank kept alive his daughter's legacy until he died in 1980 and passed on that role to Elias.  He was devoted to the task until the day he died. In 2012, he helped create the Frank Family Centre in Frankfurt, where archives of his extended family will be made accessible to the public, according to the Anne Frank foundation. Elias was my closest personal encounter with a girl who opened my eyes to the cruelty of this world. Anne Frank never gave up on humanity, despite everything she endured. It was her goodness that amazes every reader of her diary. In Elias, I saw that same goodness.

Anne Frank was extremely close to her first cousin Buddy Elias . A discovery in Elias' attic led to the a book revealing new details about Anne's famiy . Elias became the preserver of Anne's legacy after her father, Otto Frank, died in 1980 .

 on a book tour to talk about their new biography of Anne Frank: “Hiding and Seeking: Humanity in an Age of Terror.”
I asked him a question that I’d asked Gerti: What was the first time you met Anne Frank? Buddy and Gerti looked at each other. And then they both told me the same story, in a quiet, unemotional way. They didn’t need to embellish it. What they said was true and they said it simply, and that was enough.
Here is the story: “Anne and I knew each other only on a name. The name is Anne Frank. That was who she was: she was not a person, she was a name. Just another name on the street address of the Frank family, number 37. No one paid any attention to any names. We were all so tired, all of us, that we looked at the numbers on the front doors and the names on them and we never thought: Maybe there is a person who lives behind the door? No, we never knew that. So we knew all names – there was a person, a father, a mother, a sister, the other sister, they all were numbers. But we never looked inside. And we never looked behind the doors.”
Buddy and Gerti’s brother, Peter Frank, and his sister, Miep Gies, risked their own lives to help the Frank family, hiding them for more than two years to keep them from Nazi authorities. They gave food to them, they gave comfort to them, they protected them. They hid the Frank family.
Gerti and Buddy went back to the scene of their childhood, their youth. In hiding. In the very same buildings, apartments and rooms where they had hidden Anne Frank and her family. “I have returned here after 70 years, and everything looks like it has been yesterday. It’s just the same. I could just say: This is the same as it was 70 years ago, this is the same room. It hasn’t changed at all.”
The Frank family had to keep moving. So in addition to hiding Anne and her family, Gerti and Buddy hid the furniture, the paintings, the objects and the food — “everything” — that Peter and Miep kept stored in their home until after the war. In 2006, after finding an old book with a map of the city of Amsterdam drawn on its inside