Pitch Publishing, £18.99
Reviewed by James Marsland
From WSC 385, April 2019
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Stories
Recent complaints about rescheduled fixtures inconveniencing supporters have highlighted the changing ways people get to matches, as Tom Hocking explained in WSC 316, June 2013
The public address system at the modern football ground is one of the most irritating aspects of following the game and is getting worse
What happens to footballers when the game’s up
by Alan Gernon
Pitch Publishing, £9.99
Reviewed by Tim Springett
From WSC 356 October 2016
After reading the back cover blurb, where this account of footballers’ lives is described as “the ultimate where are they now”, one is prepared for a horrifying catalogue of alcohol and drug addiction, marriage break-ups, disability, bankruptcy, prison sentences and suicides. Perhaps fortunately, the content doesn’t truly warrant this apocalyptic preview.
Trains are an important mode of transport for fans but Tom Hocking says that little is done to make them more convenient
“In terms of transportation,” read an official FA statement, following the controversy caused by setting the FA Cup final kick-off time at 5.15pm, “a small percentage of Cup final fans use the method of train travel.” The evening start, rather than the traditional 3pm, meant fans of both north-west-based finalists would have trouble catching the last train home. Wigan supporters had already faced similar problems for the semi-final against Millwall and been widely mocked for not selling out their entire ticket allocation. The situation was made more galling by the FA’s solution: use their official coach partner, National Express, instead.