Book reviews

Mark McQuinn explores the football landmark in London in honour of a Brazilian who plied his trade in Japan

The crowded walk down Tottenham Court Road has a redeeming feature. Towards Oxford Street there is a side road which contains a landmark that is capable of gripping those in the know with those feelings of football frenzy that every true fan understands so well. The Gen Sushi Bar is never likely to be favoured by a Michelin star, but it deserves its place in the pantheon of football landmarks on the basis of the way one particular item is listed on the menu – Kappa Maki (Alcindo Roll).

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Jimmy Nicholl has returned to Raith Rovers, but has he done the right thing? Gary Oliver thinks not

Unless a Sunday scandal sheet catches Alan Sugar and Terry Venables sharing illicit candlelit dinners, 1997 will witness no more unlikely reunion than that of Raith Rovers and Jimmy Nicholl. For Raith’s supporters there is relief that hostilities between the club and its most successful manager have finally ceased. But Nicholl returning alongside manager Iain Munro, as Messiah without portfolio, is a bizarre twist which raises more questions than it answers.

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How one moment changed an entire season for Burnley, as told by Simon Evans

A group of us had vowed we would never set foot inside Wembley Stadium until Burnley played there. The oath had caused much ridicule but on 12th March 1983, we had the twin towers in our sights. Turf Moor was packed for the FA Cup Quarter-Final with Sheffield Wednesday. The kick-off was delayed as the organizers struggled to segregate the supporters. After going a goal behind, we had fought back with tubby Northern Ireland international midfielder Tommy Cassidy equalizing. With barely seconds remaining we were awarded a penalty. All striker Steve Taylor had to do was put it away and Burnley, battling at the wrong end of the old Division Two, would be in the last four of the FA Cup with Brighton to come in the Semis.

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The signing of Martin O'Neill lit a fire for Norwich City's season, says Joe Ferrari

Some say every successful team needs at least one ‘battler’ in midfield, one leathery, hard bastard who elbows and nuts his way through the opposition defence before his hobnailed boot emerges from a pile of bodies and scuffs the ball home from two yards. And there are others who argue that this sort of player is all well and good, but you also need to have at least one ‘creative’ player some willowy slip of a lad who stifled a yawn before skipping past bonecrunching tackles and playing a devastating 40 yard pass with the outside of his boot.

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Simon Knott revels in Cambridge's revitalisation at The Den

In the late 1980s Cambridge United were a bottom division club, regularly put out of the FA Cup by non-League sides.

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