The Archive

Brazil and Japan's recent international friendly was less about football and more about a chance to promote a well-known sports brand, says Sam Wallace

The ‘summer tour’ is normally associated with a gentle amble through the locals’ defence in a country otherwise too hot to play football. West Bromwich Albion once made it to China, only for Bryan Robson to muse that he’d rather they’d gone somewhere warmer. More recently Manchester United visited post-apartheid South Africa, where Ryan Giggs identified the clement weather as the highlight rather than the fact that he was met (and recognized) by Nelson Mandela.

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Friday 1 August Attilio Lombardo finally signs for Palace for £1.6 million, after lowering his personal terms – the penthouse suite overlooking Central Park has gone, but he'll still gets the go karts and the dolphinarium. Liverpool confirm that Robbie Fowler, injured in a pre-season match, will miss the opening fortnight of the season. Newcastle block Peter Beardsley's transfer to Bolton. "It's an opportunity for Peter to lengthen his career here," says Kenny, keeping a straight face as ever.

Sunday 3 Man Utd win the Charity Shield on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Chelsea. "United were more dangerous when we had the ball than when they had it," says Ruud. The Wim Jansen era at Celtic begins with their first defeat by Hibs since decimalisation. 

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He may not be a massively wealthy owner, but Paul Cook reveals that Doncaster fans have other reasons for disliking their chairman

Distinguishing Features: A typical small town businessman, he introduced a trendy new look at a recent friendly with his trousers tucked into the back of his shoes.

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The introduction of pay-per-view television is a sign, Martin Cloake warns, that the media is changing football as we know it

“Pay-per-view is a good thing, because for years fans who pay at the gate have subsidised entertainment for armchair fans. Now those people are going to have to pay just the same as we do, and the clubs can make some money.” That was the view of one fan I spoke to last season, and there are plenty more who share it.

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Supporting your club is now becoming more of a difficult task, argues Joyce Woolridge, due to the media's fake portrayal of football

“We’re trying to do something different with this show – to speak for the ordinary fan,” said the pleasant bloke from Wire TV which, several years ago, was one of the new cable stations. This proved to be an irresistible line. The idea that I had something to say allowed me to delude myself that the reason I was just popping down to the studios (in this case on the top floor of a shopping centre) was because I was going to make a difference. Quite what I was going to make a difference to I had no idea.

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