Articles from When Saturday Comes. All 27 years of WSC are in the process of being added. This may take a while.
The FA enquiry into the Soho Square sex scandal comes to an end – but, seriously, who really cares?
Tradition has it that the Football Association is run by a bunch of buffoons. Not least on this issue when they have decided to announce their findings of their inquiry into the (gasp) Soho Square sex scandal on the day after we have gone to press.
Celtic and Rangers finally break away from the SPL – well, on the television at least, writes Colin Armstrong
In keeping with a recent tradition of making joint statements, the Old Firm recently came together at Hampden Park to announce that they were joining the ranks of the super-power clubs such as Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid in launching their own television channels. Both clubs were brimming with glee at the announcement. “Rangers Television is an exciting concept and one we have considered for a number of years,” beamed Martin Bain, Rangers’ director of football business. Celtic’s official line on the day was no less positive.
Expectations were low for Colombians Once Caldas going into July's Copa Libertadores final. Jake Lagnado explains how they pulled off one of the biggest shock in South American football history
When Colombia’s Once Caldas beat Boca Juniors 2-0 on penalties in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final on July 1, it wasn’t just the quality of both sides’ penalties that shocked South Americans. Few had expected a team who in just two previous attempts had never made it past the first round, to beat the illustrious victors of three of the past four finals. Boca manager Carlos Bianchi was so aggrieved he did not even lead his team up the podium afterwards claiming unconvincingly that he was so used to winning he was unaware that losing teams got medals too.
Spread-betting and exchanges gave David Bendelow a staggering range of gambling enticements over the last month. So many he even backed Pauleta for the Golden Boot
It wasn’t that long ago that my betting on a major championship would consist of a tenner on the outright winner and a few quid on the first scorer when England played. These would be placed after a leisurely stroll to the William Hill shop in Headingley.
In three weeks Greek football went from purgatory to paradise, but Paul Pomonis is not sure whether the euphoria will survive Colin Moynihan being called in for advice
“Greeks always exaggerate, whether in sorrow or in joy,” was Otto Rehhagel’s rather unkind remark when, minutes after the Euro 2004 final, a Greek TV reporter asked him to comment on the explosion of mass euphoria that greeted his team’s astonishing crowning as European champions. Anxious to preserve his seasoned pro image, King Otto had for once got it wrong. If anything, even in jubilation both players’ and fans’ reactions to the “fairytale of Portugal” were characterised by stunned incredulity and down to earth realism. “How on earth did you pull such a stunt?” a reporter asked striker Demis Nikolaides a few hours after the final. “I have no idea,” came the honest reply, while scorer Angelos Charisteas urged the fans back home to party on as “they would most probably never experience anything remotely similar in their lifetimes”.