OUR EURO STAR CONOR LENDS HIS SUPPORT - NOT MONEY!

"CONOR supports our football like we support his, but he's not put a penny in financially," insists Raynes Park Vale manager Josh Gallagher when describing the contribution of his Chelsea and England star brother, who is set to be part of Gareth Southgate's squad for this summer's European Championships.

- Tom Blackett

The midfielder's future in west London will be the subject of much speculation this summer with Chelsea yet to make a contract offer to the 24-year-old, whose current deal runs out at the end of the 2024-25 season.

Conor's mitted comperformances, lung-busting energy and easy-going personality have made him a favourite with each manager he's worked under and Southgate is no different.

Conor's proud family will be travelling out to Germany to support the Surrey-born midfielder as he looks to play his first minfor utes the senior England squad at a major tournament, after being an unused substitute in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

When they aren't cheering on the Three Lions, Conor's three older brothers have their own football focus this summer with twins Josh and Jake, 31, at Isthmian League South Central Division title hopefuls Raynes Park, and Dan, 26, expecting to be part of an assault on the National League South crown with Dorking Wanderers in 2024-25.

Since Josh took over as Raynes Park manager in May 2021, bringing in his twin Jake, a former England C international, as a player-coach shortly afterwards, Conor has often been seen supporting his siblings at Raynes Park's ground.

The connection has led many to assume the Chelsea player has been subsidising the budget at Grand Drive - with the south-west Londoners winning the Combined Counties League Premier South title in 2022-23 and then narrowly missing out on the Isthmian South Central play-offs in 2023-24.

But Josh is adamant that could not be further from the truth.

"Conor hasn't put a penny into Raynes Park," he said. "I can see why people would say it but, honestly, I wouldn't let him even if he wanted to.

"As far as contributing financially I'm not even sure he pays to get into the ground! He has bought a few cups of tea though.