Bus route renamed after Ivan Toney for World Cup

Stagecoach Midlands has temporarily renamed several bus routes in Northampton after local footballer Ivan Toney to mark England's participation in the World Cup. The company has rebranded its 9, 9A and 9B services as the "Toney Town" route, honoring the former Northampton Town and England striker.

Local hero honored

Toney, 30, was born in Northampton and made his professional debut for Northampton Town in 2012. He later played for Newcastle United, Peterborough United and Brentford before moving to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli. The renamed service runs daily through key parts of Northampton, including Sixfields Stadium, where Toney began his professional career.

Company statement

Mark Whitelocks, managing director of Stagecoach Midlands, said: "We are incredibly proud that Ivan Toney is flying the flag for Northampton on the biggest stage of all, so, we thought we would mark the occasion by renaming our service for the duration of the tournament." He added: "It is just a bit of fun. Hopefully both our buses and Ivan will be as reliable as ever during the tournament."

Tournament timeline

The renamed service will operate throughout the World Cup. England began their campaign on Wednesday against Croatia. Toney left the Cobblers in 2015 and has since built a career in English football before his move to Saudi Arabia.