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Blaine Roberts-McNally
Sports Reporter
10:48 AM 31st December 2024
sports

Sport: What's On This Week? December 30th 2024 - January 3rd 2025

Photo: KeithJJ
Photo: KeithJJ
Christmas time has come to an end, and it is now time to welcome in 2025 with vast celebrations and get togethers. So why not get together with friends and family and start off the new year right by watching sport.

In addition to the PDC Darts World Championships which provide excitement throughout this period, there are also football and rugby union matches to sink your teeth into, while nursing either the Christmas or new years hangovers.

Wednesday 1st January: Barnsley v Wrexham 15:00pm

Oakwell Stadium plays host to a potentially vital clash in round 24 of Sky Bet League One. The Tykes are vying for playoff contention and have been pushing for sixth spot alongside Reading. They welcome a strong Wrexham side that have taken the league by storm and look to push Wycombe and Birmingham all the way for an automatic promotion spot, or even the title. Barnsley’s form has started to turn a slight corner over the Christmas period, with Darrell Clarke’s men picking up nine points from five games following a run of zero points in six, including a loss away to Wrexham in early December. The Reds also managed a convincing 3-1 away win at Peterborough on Sunday which has helped them keep pace with the chasing playoff pack, as the Tykes are just one point off the top six.

Wrexham come into this on an almost reverse run of form to Barnsley. Zero losses in nine has put them in a more than healthy position for promotion and a chance to go for the title. The Welshman are only one point off leaders Birmingham, who do have the advantage of fewer games played, but picked up a shock draw to mid-table Blackpool at the weekend. It is looking like a close race at the top that will hopefully rumble on over the second half of the season, but Wrexham have more than a fighting chance particularly after their win versus Wigan and Wycombe’s loss to Charlton on Sunday.

Date: 1/1/2025
Time 15:00pm
Venue: Oakwell Stadium, Grove street, Barnsley, S71 1ET

Tickets can be purchased at https://www.eticketing.co.uk/barnsleyfc/Events

Adult: £30.00, U14: £7.00, U19: £12.00, Senior £23.00, Young adult (19-21): £23.00.

The match will be shown on Sky Sports+

Thursday 2nd January: Rangers v Celtic 15:00pm

2025 is getting off to a blistering start, only two days into the new year but already one of the biggest rivalries in sport is taking place at the Ibrox Stadium. The old firm derby is monumental every season, despite how many times it happens in the league or cups, it is a special match to witness. Even if just looking at the ferocity of the crowds who swarm in their numbers.

Ibrox on Thursday will be no different; the home fans will be begging for some vengeance following their sensationally dramatic loss in the Scottish League Cup final to Celtic, after a miss from Yilmaz in the shootout condemned Rangers to their sixth loss in seven games against their bitterest of enemies. It gets more bitter for the blue side of Glasgow though, as that cup win put Celtic ahead of Rangers in terms of total trophies won (119 to 118), for the first time in 87 years

Celtic are unsurprisingly not just making headroom in the trophy cabinet, they also have a 12 point lead on Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premiership. They haven’t lost a match in any competition since the first of October, and barring a horrendous turnaround in fortunes, they look set to extend that lead on trophies over Rangers with another league title, which would be Celtic’s fourth consecutive league title.

Hopes of catching their green enemies has become slightly more slim for Rangers following a loss to St Mirren and a draw away to Motherwell in the past week, giving Celtic ample room to expand their lead, which they took with aplomb, beating both Motherwell and St Johnstone 4-0.

Date: 2/1/2025
Time: 15:00pm
Venue: Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow

The match will be shown on: NOW TV, Sky Go Extra (Gbr), Sky Go, Sky Sports Football, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Ultra

Friday 3rd January: Newcastle Falcons v Harlequins 19:45pm

The Gallagher Premiership has hit its halfway point, giving us an idea on where teams are at as things ramp up towards the play-offs. This week there is a battle towards the lower end of the league as Newcastle take on Harlequins at Kingston Park.

Being towards the bottom of the league is something all too familiar for Newcastle. Since their time back in the league in 2020-21, the best they have finished is third from bottom, and they have only escaped relegation due to teams in the league below, being unable to meet the league’s requirements to compete.

Despite this, there are slight signs that things are getting better. Even if that is only the northern most team in the league picking up two wins so far, which may not seem too impressive, but considering they failed to register a single victory last season, this is a step in the right direction at least. The Falcon’s last match, however, was not a display of this improvement. Being absolutely trounced away to Northampton Saints 61-0 was not the ideal way for them to conclude 2024. They sit in 9th place just above Exeter Chiefs by two points. The visit of Harlequins may be another challenging test on paper. Harlequins look solid in their campaign for a top eight finish and qualification for the Investec Champions Cup. There could be an outside shout if they manage to turn their consistency around, of challenging the top four, as they are six points away from the playoffs.

A rare draw against Leicester Tigers last time out means they have two losses, one win and a draw in their last four matches. A decent return, but in order to have any chance of reaching the playoffs, they will need a run of wins, which do not come easy in the Gallagher Premiership.

Date: 3/1/2025
Time: 19:45pm
Venue: Kingston Park, Newcastle

The match will be shown on TNT Sports 1