WSC Logo

rss

Sign up for the WSC Weekly Howl

A small portion of despair and enlightenment delivered to your inbox every Friday

 

First name
Surname
Email

newissue medrec 316

gplus50

wsc writers comp

chairman 170x140

Aland Islands' IFK Mariehamn reach Europa League

Finnish province overcome challenges

icon ifk20 May ~ IFK Mariehamn's Europa League debut, achieved by topping Finland's Fair Play standings, will be the first time a men's club from the self-governing province of Aland has taken part in European competition (women's team Aland United took part in the Women's Champions League in 2010). Some Alanders feel they could sustain a national team just as the Faroe Islands does but FIFA's attitude to new nations ensures that is unlikely to happen any time soon. Instead, islanders have poured their energy into IFK Mariehamn.


WSC 316 out now

June issue available online and in stores

wsc316 The new WSC is out now, available from all good newsagents or dispatched on the day of order from the WSC shop.

Ferguson's final season
TV dictates Cup kick-offs
FIFA corruption
Bayern & Dortmund dominate
When Villa were champions

New Hillsborough footage proves witness right

Documentary questions medical evidence

20 May ~ Previously unbroadcast footage of the Hillsborough disaster proves evidence that was undermined in the original inquest was actually true. The pictures, analysed in a BBC Panorama documentary, cast more doubt on the medical evidence that supporters could not have survived beyond 3.15pm on that day. The programme shows that off-duty police officer Derek Bruder, who has always said he was trying to save 15-year-old Kevin Williams after that time, was telling the truth. The programme will air tonight on BBC One at 9pm.

Tucked between a cliff and the coast in Croatia

Rijeka300Sitting between a cliff and the Croatian coast, Stadion Kantrida is the home of HNK Rijeka. The stadium opened in 1913 and as well as being the home ground of Rijeka since 1954, it occasionally hosts Croatian national team matches. Following a number of renovations, the stadium now has an all-seat capacity of 12,600.

Atlético Madrid 2-0 Real Madrid, 1992

17 May ~ José Mourinho has the chance to win what could be his last trophy as manager of Real Madrid tonight, when his team take on Atlético Madrid in the final of the Copa del Rey. The match is a repeat of the 1992 final, when Atlético beat their neighbours 2-0 at the Bernabéu. Atlético have not beaten Real in this millennium, though, so they'll need another bit of magic like this free-kick from former Real manager Bernhard Schuster if they're going to overcome Mourinho's men.

Getting shirty ~ Fleetwood Town home, 2005-06


Notable kits of yesteryear

fleetwood15016 May ~ The 2005-06 season was a momentous one for Fleetwood. After re-forming in 1997 as Fleetwood Freeport following a deal with the local discount shopping centre, the club played in a striking white and broken-red striped kit for its first season. Promotion to the North West Counties Premier Division followed in 1999, and in 2002, the club released its first replica kit, in an unholy alliance with Prostar and the Fleetwood Weekly News.

Badge of the week ~ St Neots Town

neots15015 May ~ St Neot is the patron saint of rural paranoia, which is like urban paranoia but with longer intervals between events. St Neot was originally an English shepherd who heard the voice of God while tending his flock, only it was the voice of God complaining about St Neot to someone else. This vexed and confused the young man and he sold his flock the next day in order to raise money for a golden cloak and sombrero. Read more

Man Utd fans try to sign Cristiano Ronaldo

Because he jumps quite high

icon ronaldo215 May ~ A group of Manchester United fans have taken it upon themselves to "bring Ronaldo home" to Old Trafford. They want each fan to pledge £10 as a deposit on a "Manchester United Ronaldo 7" shirt – the balance (no more than £55 for adults, £50 for kids, naturally) must then be paid if he is signed. But why Cristiano Ronaldo? "He generates 5G of G-force on take-off – this is five times the power of a cheetah in full flight," the website reads. Plus "his speed, height, technical ability will help ensure Manchester United win the 2014 Champions League Trophy". They could just ask for pledges to buy the trophy itself and make UEFA an offer. Or adopt an entire team of cheetahs from the WWF.

Book review: Greenhoff!

by Brian Greenhoff

315 GreenhoffRarely can five years have generated as much football print as Tommy Docherty's stint at Manchester United. Although Docherty's managerial skills and style continue to polarise opinion, no one has argued he was a defensive genius. The statistics bear that out: away from home his United team always let in more than they scored, apart from their one year sabbatical in Division Two. Read more

Book review: Magical

A life in football

315 MagicalThis is a book about life-changing moments, successful adaptations in life and survival in the football business, from player to executive. Paul Fletcher explains the title by saying that his "life and career has been magical; it's as simple as that". Fletcher's three moments of life-changing experience were seeing a small player head the ball, inspiring him to practise jumping and heading aged 16; meeting his wife-to-be at Bolton's Beachcomber Club; and attending a Dale Carnegie course in leadership training. Read more

Book review: In Pastures Green

Inside stories of Albion's 21st century odyssey

315 PasturesGreenWritten by West Bromwich Albion's Birmingham Mail correspondent Chris Lepkowski, this book uses in-depth interviews with 12 players to present the inside line on "Albion's amazing 21st century odyssey". While the last 12 years have delivered four promotions, three relegations and the 2004-05 "great escape", they have also seen Albion transformed from a chaotically run institution who gave Wolves fans something to joke about into one of the Premier League's most forward-thinking clubs. Read more


 

© When Saturday Comes Limited 2013 | Contact | Privacy & cookies | Sitemap | Managed hosting by Latitude