Reviews from When Saturday Comes. Follow the link to buy the book from Amazon.
Paul Sturrock and many in the St Mary's stands may disagree, but Southampton fan Dave Juson finds much for which to thank the club's widely reviled chairman
“What’s going on?” – give an expletive or two – is the question everyone in Southampton is asking as another manager heads metaphorically west.
Clubs must stop chasing glamorous players and remember they have a duty to their youngsters, warns Jon Spurling
The prize for this summer’s most revealing soundbite must surely be awarded to Dutch defender Michael Reiziger. Shortly before the 31-year-old completed his transfer to Middlesbrough, he commented: “I’m getting to the end of my career and I want to be able to say that I have played in the Premiership.” Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s views on moving to Teesside also spoke volumes: “This move will make my family financially secure.” Avoiding any mention of future challenges – much less the possibility of actually winning trophies – the pair neatly encapsulated the prevailing attitude that exists at the top level in English football. Many Premiership chairmen, ever-conscious of season-ticket and replica-shirt sales, would rather spend large sums of money on a seasoned continental star, than invest time and patience in nurturing young British talent.
Haydn Parry interviews Gillingham boss Andy Hessenthaler about what can only be called survival – both on and off the pitch
It’s rough trying to survive in Division One without adequate money or any depth to the playing squad. Last season I had to keep what was left of the squad, after all the injuries, together. We were careful that we didn’t overtrain them and got every ounce out of each, including the youth-team players who had to step up.
The football hasn't always been dramatic but, as Mark Douglas explains, there's been quite a song and dance this summer just to keep Valley Parade open
For supporters of most clubs, the worst thing that can happen in the summer break is the odd player scandal, a dodgy new away kit or the possibility that you might sign Brian Deane. Not so Bradford City. Just four years ago, Valley Parade basked in the glory of Premiership survival. Now, the dwindling Bantams support are just happy to have survived the summer months with a club at all.
The idea used to be that clubs paid players to play for them; now they subsidise their opponents to get unwanted 'stars' off their books. Barney Ronay reports
Michael Stewart “took a gamble” this month (according to the BBC football website) by cancelling the remainder of his contract at Manchester United to have a trial with Rangers. Unfortunately for Stewart this wild leap into the dark didn’t pay off. Alex McLeish decided to let him go, leaving the Scotland international with only the £400,000 lump-sum pay-off from United to tide him over – paid for his waiving the two years left on his £12,000-a-week contract.