The Archive

Belgium have everything in place to host next year’s European Championship, except a reasonable football team.  Jan Antonissen reports on the co-hosts’ disarray

What the hell is wrong with Belgian football? At the 1998 World Cup Belgium were clearly the most cowardly team. The team didn’t lose in France, not even to the Dutch, yet they were sent home after the first round. Since last summer, the inappropriately named Red Devils have even lost the ability to draw. They lost five games in a row, and on March 30th were humiliated by Egypt in front of an outraged crowd in Liège. Belgium has become a Third World football nation.

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Steven Heath gives us a brief history of Southend

1906 A group of local worthies gather in the Blue Boar in Prittlewell (of which Southend was once the south end) to establish a rival to local amateur side Southend Athletic. In a fit of optimism, the proposed name, Prittlewell United, is dropped.The team turn professional and gain entry  to the Southern League Second Division.

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Cris Freddi’s look back at the downside of football during the 20th century continues with some terrible Wembley occasions.

I may have bitten off more than I can chew here. With so many cup finals having been played at Wembley, you would assume it wouldn’t be hard to pick out a fair selection of turkeys.

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Wednesday 31 In Euro 2000 qualifiers, Scotland lose 2-1 to the Czech Republic, their first home defeat in a competitive match since 1987. "If we win in Prague we'll be back in contention," says the perennially chipper Craig Brown. Sweden's 1-0 win in Poland means England are unlikely to do better than second place in their group. There are disappointing results too for Wales, beaten 2-0 in Switzerland, and Northern Ireland, held to a goalless draw in Moldova. To howls of protest from the clubs battling to finish fifth, Newcastle are guaranteed a European place after it is announced that one of England's three UEFA Cup places must go to one of the last four teams left in the FA Cup. "I wonder if UEFA's attitude would have been the same if Barnsley were one of the semi-finalists," mutters John Gregory. Crystal Palace appoint a new administrator and obtain a High Court order allowing them to remain in business. South≠ampton receive planning permission to build a 32,000 seater stadium on the site of an old gasworks. Alan Little is the new manager of Southend.

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Monday 1 Glenn Hoddle refuses to step down as England coach, but Tony Blair and, more importantly, the Nationwide building society come out against him. "He has a responsibility to ensure that his personal views shouldn't be confused with those of the England team, the FA or its sponsors," says Mike Lazenby, Nationwide's marketing director. "I'm not some crackpot who comes out with stupid remarks to cause controversy," Hoddle insists, despite all evidence to the contrary. John Hartson is fined £20,000 and given a three-match ban by the FA for his training-ground attack on Eyal Berkovic. "I have to control my aggression," Hartson says, which will be unwelcome news to his manager.

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