Reviews from When Saturday Comes. Follow the link to buy the book from Amazon.
Chris Taylor argues that all David Beckham had to do to become universally popular in England was to stop playing for Manchester United
The reason Real Madrid bought David Beckham was obvious to everyone. World domination. Those crafty swine from the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu weren’t content with their European monopoly, they wanted the rest of the world. And so to help promote their tour of south-east Asia, they bought David Beckham.
Reading fan Roger Titford believes that, far from going on to greater things, by leaving for West Ham Alan Pardew has turned his back on a chance to really make his name
“West Ham swoop for Reading’s Alan Pardew.” It seemed a clear enough story for the media: swoop, birds of prey, tasty morsels seized, law of the jungle and all that. Except, this time, the prey fought back and, for a few days, a “mouse bites eagle” story looked possible.
Glenn Hoddle will remain a Tottenham legend, believes Adam Powley, but was undone as a manager by the faults he was always said to possess yet never would admit
Tottenham fans now have two things to thank Glenn Hoddle for. A decade of sublime football guarantees his place among the club’s most cherished sons. And, briefly, the club led the back pages again. For fans increasingly desperate to see their side regain its lustre, such dubious comforts are strangely welcome.
The beggars of Brunton Park aren't choosy when it comes to loan players. Roger Lytollis highlights the one advantage of being the worst club yet to be relegated from the League
Loan players are the cavalry for a Third Division club. No matter how badly you’re struggling – and in the case of my team, Carlisle United, that’s usually very badly indeed – there’s no problem so great that it can’t be fixed by a 19-year-old midfielder on a month’s loan from Rotherham.
John Driscoll interviews Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson, the man who helped save the club from banckruptcy in 1986. Chairman since 1994, he has seen them reach three cup finals and become Premiership fixtures, in a ground fit for internationals. But what next?
How much time do you devote to the club?
What we have is a very strong executive. The chief executive [Keith Lamb], the manager and I speak to each other every day. The club is run on very sound business principles and everyone knows their role. Other than that I cherry-pick my involvement.