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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Tim Springett explains why Southampton supporters are uneasy about their club's recent stock market flotation

Feelings are running high on the south coast. The wanton destruction of Brighton, the chaos at Bournemouth and the sale of Portsmouth for £1 serve to compound a widely-held belief among supporters in the area that they are being taken for a ride by those who purport to have the best interests of their respective clubs at heart. By comparison Southampton looks like a sea of tranquillity. Don’t be fooled.

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A boardroom reshuffle at Nottingham Forest throws up a familiar face to Spurs fan Martin Cloake

In 1989, this man said: “I love Tottenham. You watch two other teams and you don’t feel you want either to win… unless they’re playing Arsenal.” He also told the Independent that he disapproved, pointedly, of directors who “move around” between clubs. The man was Irving Scholar, then director of Tottenham Hotspur, now at Nottingham Forest. At least Forest fans should be under no illusions about Scholar’s priorities – it will be business first. Unless of course Forest are playing Arsenal.

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Andy Medhurst reports on bleak times for fans of Hull City

The name of the Needler family appears in several chapters in the gloriously unsuccessful history of Hull City AFC. The late Harold Needler, a wealthy businessman and chairman of his beloved Tigers, pumped hundreds of thousands of pounds into the club in the 1960s as they just failed to grab a place in Division One.

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Brighton's survival hopes were boosted by a unique event at the Goldstone Ground. Kevin Bartholomew reports

At the time of writing, Brighton’s future is being decided in protracted negotiations between chairman Bill Archer and consortium leader Dick Knight. Meanwhile, the appointment of new manager Steve Gritt to what was described in the press as “the worst job in football” has resulted in a dramatic improvement in the team’s fortunes.

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