CALLUM COCKERILL-MOLLETT realised a footballer’s life is full of unexpected twists when he was released by Walsall as a 22-year-old.

That’s when he decided to turn part-time with Tamworth and move into a business that has even more ups and downs… selling ZIPS for a living!

Getty

Getty

Cockerill-Mollett decided against going full-time after leaving Walsall in 2021[/caption]

Now, the football-playing businessman can’t wait to get his teeth into Tottenham Hotspur, when he faces Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs in the FA Cup on Sunday.

The former Republic of Ireland Youth international told SunSport how he became the Lambs’ very own Lord of the Flies!

The left-back revealed: “In my final season at Walsall there was a massive turnover of players and everyone who was out of contract was allowed to leave.

“I had some interest from other full-time clubs but most of them would have involved relocating to the other side of the country.

“When nothing concrete actually materialised I decided to turn part-time.

“So that summer I went in with my dad, Neil and started working full-time in his zip business.

“I’d spent time around the factory while I was playing so I had a rough idea of what the business was about.

“Footballers retire early and I knew I wouldn’t go down the coaching route, so I always had the zip business in the back of my mind.

FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS

“Now I help my dad run the company.

“We have around 30 staff and we are a wholesale manufacturer of zips.

Facebook

He runs the zip business alongside his dad[/caption]

“You can’t come in and buy one or two zips from us, we deal in hundreds or thousands at a time.

“We buy the raw materials from abroad and we create all kinds of zips.

“Jacket zips, pocket zips, shoe zips, zips for jeans – you name it, we can produce it.

“But our biggest sellers are probably sofa zips which are used in sofa cushions.

“We supply some of the biggest sofa brands in the UK.”

Cockerill-Mollett admits it’s hard to convince people he’s not joking when he tells them what he does for a living.

“When I was full-time with Walsall and people asked me what line of work I was in, you can’t really say anything other than: ‘I play football.’

“People kind of look at you strangely when you say that.

“But now when I say: ‘I sell zips,’ people still look at me even more strangely!

“Their first reaction is: ‘What do you mean you sell zips?’

“If they’re wearing a jacket I’ll point to the zip and say: ‘You know this thing here – someone’s got to make them!’

“It’s only when friends and family see our big factory in Leicester that they realise it’s quite a serious business.

“The company is called Zipex UK and we are one of the only manufacturers who still make zips in the UK.

“Most people import them from China.

“But we are one of the few firms you can call and say I need 116cm in this type of zip and we can make thousands of them.

Reuters

Tamworth face Tottenham in the FA Cup this weekend[/caption]

Alamy

Leicester fan Cockerill-Mollett hopes to get James Maddison’s shirt[/caption]

“I suppose we’re flying the flag for Britain.”

However, on Sunday Cockerill-Mollett will be flying the flag for Tamworth as they look to pull off an FA Cup giant-killing act against Premier League giants Tottenham.

Tiny Tamworth are currently priced at 2,500/1 rank outsiders to win this year’s FA Cup.

Yet Leicester-born Callum kicked off his pro career with Walsall in 2016 – the year Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester City stunned the world by beating Spurs to famously romp to the title.

That 5,000/1 shot was dubbed the Greatest Sporting Miracle of all time.

Now Foxes fan Callum hopes to create another sensational shock on Sunday, with The Lambs priced at 15/1 to beat Spurs.

“When you’re non-league you’re hoping to draw one of the Premier League big boys,” he said.

“When Spurs name came out after ours I was a bit shocked and then my phone never stopped ringing.

“It’s a bit surreal but it is what it is. When you’ve made it through three rounds, as we have we deserve a bit of glamour.

“We’ve earned our Spurs, so to speak, beating Macclesfield, Huddersfield and Burton Albion.

“As a Foxes fan I will never forget that famous title win. I celebrated with all the Leicester supporters at Victoria Park, when the team came on stage and Kasabian played.

“So I know miracles can happen and I wouldn’t mind getting James Maddison‘s shirt on Sunday if he plays – but I think quite a few of the lads are thinking the same way.”  

Whatever happens on Sunday, it will be business as usual for the only Cockerill in the Tamworth camp, when he makes a speedy return to the zip trade on Monday!

EPA

Tottenham beat Liverpool in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-finals on Wednesday[/caption]

COLEEN Rooney has revealed the strict rota she has in place for her four boys. 

So if you are fed up with the madness of the school run, you’ve come to the right place and will need to take notes.

Youtube/ The Overlap

Coleen Rooney has given an insight into the ‘mayhem’ of life with four boys[/caption]

Instagram

The 38-year-old confessed that she even has a ‘car rota’ to try to control the ‘madness’ on school runs[/caption]

Zenpix

She claimed she deals with ‘murder every morning’ with her four kids[/caption]

Instagram

Coleen also opened up on growing up with brothers and her ‘lively’ mansion[/caption]

After the mum-of-four’s down-to-earth nature and love for her family helped her to win millions of votes and second place on the most recent series of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!, Coleen, 38, has now shared an insight into her family life.

Coleen, who is married to football legend Wayne Rooney, 39, claimed that in an attempt to try to control the ‘mayhem’ of mornings with four boys, she has created her very own car rota.

The brunette beauty, who recently revealed the secret to her glowing skin, told the Stick to Football podcast: “It’s madness, it’s just mayhem all the time. 

“We have to have a rota of who gets to sit at the front [of the car] going to school.”

But despite her rota, which could be a game changer for many mums, Coleen told Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Roy Keane, Ian Wright and Jill Scott that her boisterous lads – Kai, 15, Klay, 11, Kit, eight, and Cass, six – cause ‘mayhem’.

She continued: “Even though there is a rota, there’s murder every morning.

“They just torment each other and it’s like a domino effect.”

And it’s not just the school run that is carnage, as her £20million mansion is often extremely loud and ‘lively’ too.

She explained: “It’s a lively house but the funny thing is everyone loves coming to ours, because it’s just entertaining. 

“I like it. I grew up with two brothers, I’m used to being around boys. I quite like the boys.”

But despite the mayhem, the Scouse lass then opened up on if she were to have had a daughter.

Coleen shared: “Wayne would have liked a girl, and when I think now I think would I have clashed with a girl? 

It’s madness, it’s just mayhem all the time

Coleen Rooney

“I know what I was like with my mum growing up, hormones and that. 

“Whereas the boys just get on with it.”

Not only did Coleen get candid on her family life, but she also reflected on her time in the jungle too.

Coleen added: “The impact from I’m A Celeb has been massive. I knew it was a big show, but I didn’t think people would take that much interest in me.

“I’ve done stuff in the past but the amount of people that have not got me and my personality, they’ve just taken bits and bobs and not seen me as a person.

“Being in the public eye, people forget that we are just normal people.

“I started being in the public eye when I was 16 – it’s been a long time. It’s been so nice and positive [I’m A Celeb reaction].”

WITH an arctic storm and freezing rain set to hit the UK, it looks like we’ll all be dealing with the ice very soon.

And if you’re someone who struggles not to slip over when it’s snowed, there’s a new hack doing the rounds that promises to work like a dream.

tiktok/@lisad774

Lisa took to TikTok to share a genius hack she swears by to avoid slipping over in the ice[/caption]

Getty

It “works a dream” – especially when it’s dark outside too – Lisa promised[/caption]

Lisa took to TikTok to share the clever trick, as she showed herself with socks worn over the top of her shoes.

“No slipping for me today!” she wrote over the top of the video.

“Top tip, put socks over your shoes if you don’t have suitable footwear!”

“What a hack,” she captioned the video.

“I was sliding all over yesterday, not today!”

Lisa added in response to one comment: “I’ve not slipped at all – practically ran to work this morning!”

The comments section was almost immediately filled with people weighing in on the hack, with one questioning? “How does this work, wouldn’t socks give you less grip?”

“It’s the friction of the sock on the ice or something!” Lisa replied.

“Any socks or do they have to be certain type ie wool?” another asked.

With Lisa responding: “No, I just put normal black socks on but used 2 pairs!”

“Done this for years, I’ve even put baby socks on the dog’s feet before to stop her slipping,” a third wrote.

“Oh my, I love this!” Lisa said.

“I work in an animal hospital and the dog walk part was slippy yesterday!

“I will tell the nurses to try it.”

“I wondered why I’d seen a women with socks over her shoes earlier,” someone else said.

“I was very puzzled! this makes sense!!”

“Ha ha honestly it’s worked like a dream!” Lisa insisted.

“Luckily it was dark this morning and tonight when I’ve finished work!”

“Works a treat. Kept me on my feet today,” another added.

“I do it my kids laugh at me,” someone else wrote.

“But I’m not the one slipping!”

“I’m a carer and I used the ice grippers from work but I went back to the socks over shoes – much better,” another commented.

“My late dad used to swear by this,” someone else wrote.

“He never slipped once.

“Everyone used to joke around about it but they were the ones slipping not him lol.”

“My late aunt always did this,” another agreed.

“Everyone used to take the mick out of her.”

tiktok/@lisad774

She said they don’t even need to be special socks, as they she just wore normal socks – but two pairs[/caption]

CHLOE Ferry has revealed the heartbreaking reason why she’ll never film Geordie Shore with her boyfriend.

The 29-year-old reality star has been on/off boyfriend with boyfriend Johnny Wilbo since 2021.

Splash

Chloe Ferry has revealed the heartbreaking reason why she’ll never film Geordie Shore with her boyfriend[/caption]

chloegshore1/Instagram

Chloe with her boyfriend at Christmas[/caption]

But despite the show that made her famous returning to screens for a brand new series filmed in Thailand, Chloe insisted she won’t bring Johnny onto the show.

Sitting down with co-stars James Tindale and Kyle Christie, the Geordie native explained why.

Chloe, who looked stunning in leopard print for the episode launch party, told The Sun: “He wasn’t involved in the series, and to be honest we have spoken about it and we think we might be filming again soon and I do have a boyfriend now.

“So I was going to bring him on but there was a situation with James and his partner and basically if that had happened to my partner I wouldn’t be able to control myself.”

Chloe added: “If anyone speaks badly to my friends or my partner I just fly off the handle.

“So I am really back and forth about what to do, because if anyone spoke to my lad like that I’d kill them.”

Chloe also said she likes to keep her current relationship “a little bit private” due to her last being very much in the public eye.

She went on: “For now until we know exactly what’s going on and stuff, I want to keep it just like that.

“I love Geordie Shore so much but it’s really hard bringing your partner there because people actually just don’t get on.”

Kyle and James jumped in to add that you feel “vulnerable” while filming, and said if something happens to them it feels like it happens to their partner too.

James explained that someone hadn’t spoken to his new fiancée Leah Bowley the right way while filming, which has spooked Chloe from introducing her man to the show.

Despite their past rocky relationship, Chloe and Johnny proved that they’re very much back on last year.

She broke her silence on her relationship with Johnny in January 2024,  after they’d enjoyed a romantic holiday in Thailand.

Before this, she’d dumped him after he was caught messaging other women behind her back.

However, at the time she urged fans not to judge her change of heart, insisting that “there are a lot of things that people don’t know”.

On her relationship, Chloe previously told The Sun: “It’s going alright, it’s like any relationship – there are ups and there’s downs.

“But it’s going alright to be honest, we’ve just been to Thailand together, we’ve actually had a really good holiday to be honest.

“If I’m still with him…because we’re up and down, if we are still together after summer, I’m having one last wild summer and then we’re going to start trying for babies.”

When asked if she now trusts him or if she’s worried about history repeating itself, Chloe said: “There were a lot of reasons, I’m not me making excuses for him, but there were a lot of things that people didn’t know.

“I do trust him now, obviously we do argue about it, I’m not just going to forget about it.

“It’s always there in the back of my mind and that’s why we mainly argue a lot, because I always struggled with trusting someone because of the past I’ve had with my boyfriends from before.

“But we are trying to learn to trust each other but things are going good to be honest.”

Stream the first TWO episodes of the brand-new series of Geordie Shore on Paramount+ first today, or

Catch-up weekly Tuesdays at 10pm on MTV! New episodes are streaming every Tuesday on Paramount+, and if you can’t get enough, stream EVERY series of Geordie Shore on Paramount+ now!

Instagram

EXCL Chloe Ferry dating hunky toyboy four months after split with Hollyoaks star https://www.instagram.com/_johnnywilbo/?hl=en-gb, Johnny wilbo,[/caption]

Splash

Cast taking part in a photocall and celebrities attending a screening of “Geordie Shore” at Thai Square Trafalgar Square in London Pictured: abbie holborn,sophie kasaei,chloe ferry,chantelle connelly Ref: BLU_S8113489 070125 NON-EXCLUSIVE Picture by: / SplashNews.com Splash News and Pictures USA: 310-525-5808 UK: 020 8126 1009 eamteam@shutterstock.com World Rights[/caption]

“Дивний період” впливу бізнесмена Ілона Маска на обраного президента США Дональда Трампа незабаром закінчиться, про це в ефірі Радіо НВ сказав голова правління Українського кризового медіа-центру та колишній посол України у США Валерій Чалий. “Я говорив, що десь пройде пів року і ми побачимо зміну команди”, — зауважив Чалий. Чалий також звернув увагу на поведінку Маска, яка, за його словами, […]

Для православних віруючих настає найсуворіший день Страсного тижня. Про цей день Цього дня треба суворо дотримуватися низки правил, бо саме у п’ятницю був розіп’ятий Ісус Христос. Як правило, віруючі люди згадують страждання Спасителя, читають молитви перед іконами і просять Всевишнього про прощення своїх гріхів. У Страсну п’ятницю у всіх православних храмах відбуваються особливі служби, зокрема, […]

Часто у нас не вистачає часу чи коштів на те, щоб перетворити свою квартиру зі старим ремонтом на затишне житло. Експерти порадили простий спосіб, для якого гроші не потрібні. Якщо інтер’єр вашої кімнати чи квартири загалом почав здаватись вам нудним, сумувати не варто. У такій ситуації можна трішки постаратись, аби оновити зовнішній вигляд приміщення. Якщо […]

A knifem

THE finale date for The Traitors series three has been revealed – as bosses confirmed a huge shake-up.

Last week, The Traitors returned for the third series of the popular show hosted by Claudia Winkleman.

PA

The Traitors series three finale date has been confirmed[/caption]

PA

Can the Faithful catch all of The Traitors?[/caption]

BBC

Who will win it all?[/caption]

Although the game is just starting to heat up, the BBC have confirmed when the final will air – with a twist.

The finale will be shown on January 24, but at the earlier time of 8.30pm.

Meanwhile, a longer edition of Ed Gamble’s spin-off show Uncloaked immediately follows from 9.40pm to 10.25pm.

Last night’s episode featured a shocking twist which saw three seemingly eliminated players return.

Viewers may recall how Fozia, Jack and Alexander all voluntarily left the train to the castle in episode one.

The group had been kept in hiding since as they arrived back to the game after boarding the ‘rail replacement service’.

As part of the day’s mission, the trio of axed stars were suspended in the sky and locked in cages.

Host Claudia confessed that Fozia, Jack and Alexander were all eligible to re-enter the game but one star would not make it and would sensationally be axed AGAIN.

The other players had to decide who to help out as they were required to collect gold coins in order to lower their cages from the sky and back down onto the ground.

They deposited gold coins for the stars they wished to save and Fozia landed on the ground first.

Alexander followed leaving Jack dangling in the air at the end of the mission.

Responding to the brutally savage twist, Jack remarked: “I’m gutted but I’m happy for them both.

“It was a wake-up call as to how brutal The Traitors can be.”

The beginning of the episode revealed 25-year-old Maia had been “murdered” by The Traitors.

After helping expose older sister Armani as a Traitor, remaining Traitors Minah and Linda opted to eliminate Maia on the basis she wouldn’t be banished.

Elsewhere, 33-year-old doctor Kasim was brutally ousted from the programme by his fellow players.

Amid suspicions, Kas was banished by his co-stars – despite having been a Faithful all along.

He said to the remaining contestants: “It’s been fantastic and you are all fantastic people.”

The Traitors airs at 9pm from Wednesday to Friday on BBC One and iPlayer.

BBC

Fan favourite Kasim was banished from the castle at the roundtable[/caption]