Author Archive
Adam Brown looks at how the political interaction of fan culture has developed since the disenfranchisement of the mid-1980s
The year 1985 was a nadir for English football in a decade of great change for football supporters in Britain. And May was the pit of the trough. Supporters were caged in decrepit stadiums and 56 of them died in a fire at Bradford City’s ground on May 11. Violence was rife at home and abroad, policing was brutal and on the same day a 14-year-old was killed during fighting between Leeds and Birmingham fans and police at St Andrew’s. Just over two weeks later, these two factors came together killing 39 and injuring 600 at Heysel.
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Thursday, April 21st, 2011 - The Archive
With uprisings across the Arab world dominating the world press, can change be sparked in football’s most powerful regime?
The popular uprisings in the Middle East are now receiving more coverage than football in the UK press. Even the Arsenal v Barcelona Champions League tie, apparently regarded by some pundits as the most momentous event in the history of the game, couldn’t keep the revolution in Libya off the front pages. So it’s surprising that no one has yet asked the keen Tweeter Jay Bothroyd for his views on the implosion of the Gaddafi regime.
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Thursday, April 21st, 2011 - The Archive
The Brazilian tradition of exporting talented footballers to the rest of the world may be changing. Robert Shaw reports
The new season in Brazil kicked off in January with an unusual sight: four of the country’s biggest stars over the last two decades (Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldinho) were playing for local clubs. Admittedly this curious spectacle did not last long. Corinthians’ cataclysmic exit from the Copa Libertadores saw Roberto Carlos fleeing to another big pay day in Russian football and
Ronaldo bringing forward his retirement.
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Thursday, April 21st, 2011 - The Archive
With no hope of domestic glory, Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is hoping Champions League success can save his job
When Ashley Cole missed his penalty against Everton in their FA Cup tie, the Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny asked on Twitter: “What do you think Ashley was aiming for? Is it an aeroplane? No, it’s just Ashley throwing Chelsea out of the FA Cup.” In fairness to Cole, it wasn’t the most misguided shot he took this month.
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Thursday, April 21st, 2011 - The Archive
Wednesday, April 20th, 2011 - Miscellaneous
