Book reviews

In May, an arbitrarily appointed FA body sanctioned Wimbledon's move to Milton Keynes. Ian Pollock reorts on the staggering logic of a hugely damaging ruling

Just before the World Cup started, a special three-man commission of the FA came to one of the most profound decisions any foot­ball authority in England has ever made by giving permission for Wim­bledon to move 60 miles north to Milton Keynes. With most fans’ at­tention firmly fixed on events in Japan and South Korea, it is not surprising that hardly any scru­tiny has been given to the ruling handed down by the commission on May 28. After all, it only concerned Wim­bledon, so who cares?

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After securing promotion to Division One, Stoke City part company with manager Gudjon Thordarson. Penny Stanley asks why and finds an answer

“It’s typical of Stoke,” the man said. “Only they could sack their manager five days after win­ning the play-offs.”“Thordarson messed up,” came the reply. “Didn’t he realise a club like Stoke are meant to underachieve every year?”

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Ed Parkinson reflects on a unique electoral victory in Hartlepool

The ashen face of Peter Mandelson said it all. As he glared across the count at the celebrating 7ft monkey in a Hartlepool shirt, it was clear that he understood his party had just suf­fered a humiliating defeat of gargantuan pro­portions. Arhur Preece, the ancient Lib­Dem candidate for mayor, got the message too and retired from politics only days later.

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The full story of Wimbledon's proposed move to Milton Keynes has been masked by the refusal of the scheme's backers to reveal themselves. Ian Pollock reports

A special commission of the FA started meeting on May 14 to decide whether the owners of Wimbledon FC should be allowed to move the club to Milton Keynes. But while the club’s chairman Charles Koppel has become the main figure attracting antagonism from Wimbledon fans, it has been much less clear who is driving the deal from the other end.

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After a two year stint in the top flight, Ipswich fans have felt the highs and the ultimate lows of what the Premiership has to offer. Is a managerial change is needed to secure an instant return next season?

Yes ~
This season promised so much for Ipswich Town, starting with European football ear­ned through the previous year’s top five fin­ish. The shocking relegation that followed has been blamed on, variously, bad luck, in­juries, too many foreign players and rum­ours of player unrest.

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