Book reviews

The three smaller west London clubs have more in common than antipathy towards Chelsea. They even share some fans, says Anthony Hobbs

In footballing terms, the citizens of west London have had plenty to moan about over the years. A good number of them have become pretty adept at it, to the point of weary cynicism. With my own club, Queens Park Rangers, currently bouncing around at the bottom of the First Division and playing some staggeringly uninspiring football, this latent negativity does not need much persuading to come out into the open.

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Leyton Orient and West Ham have grown even further apart since the Eighties, as Tom Davies reports

Football fans in London have always been more promiscuous than elsewhere, as one would expect with 13 clubs to choose from. If you couldn’t make your team’s away game you could always go elsewhere. A Chelsea fan could pop down to Fulham, a Leyton Orient fan might be tempted by a trip to Upton Park or Highbury (usually, to silently support the opposition), or a Spurs fan could pop up to Barnet.

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Marcus Christenson examines the past achievements of the next England manager

Sven-Goran Eriksson’s appointment was met with a barrage of xenophobia in England. In Sweden and elsewhere in Europe, however, the discussion centred on why on earth a top European coach would go anywhere near the mangy Three Lions. It is difficult to imagine Fabio Capello, Hector Cuper, Alberto Zac­cheroni or any other successful European coach leav­ing their clubs to join up with Adam Crozier and co. So why was Eriksson prepared to swap Rome for London?

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As Saltergate falls into disrepair, Chesterfield risk going under. Jonathan Westwood reports

Older than the Football League itself and cur­rently leading the Third Division, Chesterfield are the latest club to find themselves staring extinction in the face. Home to the club since 1884, Saltergate is one of the oldest foot­ball venues in the world and it shows its age. Only the main stand has seating and the away end remains open to the elements.

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Cheltenham have suddenly left their neighbours Gloucester City far behind. NOw they kind of miss each other, says Mark Herron

Since Cheltenham Town joined the Nationwide League, not everything has changed for the better. One of the most significant differences in the match-day routine has been brought about by the sudden lack of a genuine local rival. No more opportunities to cheer as news of another goal conceded comes through on the radio. Half the enjoyment has disappeared over­night.

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