Articles from When Saturday Comes. All 27 years of WSC are in the process of being added. This may take a while.
Ian Plenderleith explores the murkier corners of the footballing web to discover Lincolnshire murder mysteries, Highland League replica kits and some straight shooting advice for referees
It’s midday at Sincil Bank on the opening day of the 1955-56 season. Lincoln City are away at Blackburn, so the ground is deserted. Except, that is, for a dead body lying in the middle of the pitch.
Matthew Garrahan examines how the potential collapse of a German media company could affect English football
It is rare that English football has to take notice of what is happening overseas. The Bosman case overhauled the way players were bought and sold in 1995, but there have been relatively few instances since which have threatened similar instability. Until now.
There was a severe shortage of goals, but no lack of controversy or politicking as Cameroon retained the African Cup of Nations. Alan Duncan reports
Their Malian hosts were convinced they use magical powers to win matches. They walked out, muscles flexed in sleeveless vests, having not conceded a single goal in the whole contest. And the president of the Confederation of African Football, Issa Hayatou, just happens to be one of their most famous sons. On February 10, the enduring legend which is Cameroonian football once again took hold when the Indomitable Lions became the first side since Ghana in 1965 to retain the African Cup of Nations.
For day 12 of the WSC advent calendar we’re looking at on of the gifts given to baby Jesus; gold. In April 2002, issue 182, Bobby McMahon attempted to explain why South Korea took part in that year’s Concacaf Gold Cup and suggested a way to put the tournament out of its misery
On the world football scale, winning the Gold Cup is tantamount to winning the world’s tallest midget competition. Not only is it contested by teams from one of the weakest regions, Concacaf, it receives minimal fan support and attracts almost no media interest. Ostensibly created in 1991 to help promote the 1994 World Cup in the US as well as to help the home country’s preparations, the competition replaced the Concacaf Championship which had been contested under various formats and with a varying number of participants since 1941. Costa Rica dominated until 1989 with ten wins, while the Mexicans, who you would have perhaps expected to lead, won only three.
Cris Freddi's regular series continues with a look back at a famous win over Spain in 1985 that had Welsh fans dreaming of the World Cup finals
You’d kill for a playmaker. Just one. In the last 30 years. But this is Wales, and they don’t make them here. Rugby, yes. Even now. A second division country but still producing the odd Arwel Thomas. But football? Forget it. No world-class creative midfielder since Ivor Allchurch, who peaked in the Fifties. And Scotland and Northern Ireland think they’ve had problems.