The Archive

For those thinking of going to watch your team at away matches Mike Lambert has compiled this handy guide

I was a teenage Cardiff City fan. There, I’ve said it. Not as astounding as admitting I was involved in the JFK plot or that I voted Tory in ’79 (I didn’t, honest) but enough to earn condescending looks from the rugby fraternity surrounding me. It’s becoming harder, year by year, to remember why I spent so much cash on following the Bluebirds, especially now when City are in their 12th season outside the First (old Second) Division, and away support consists of a few dozen die-hards, outnumbered by police and stewards by a factor of five.

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Dear WSC
I know the battle for the soul of football has been lost when someone writes to WSC to justify both the ticket arrangements and pricing of Euro ’96 (Letters, WSC No 115). For the record, the minimum admission at Birmingham City this season is £10, but to attempt to justify Euro ’96 prices by comparing them with admission prices for (what is effectively) a Division Two game is surely to miss the point not once but twice.
David Warren, Keighley

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Dear WSC
Steve Hughes’ thoughts on curved roof design (Letters, WSC No 114) are so far wide of the mark as to be laughable. The curved roof at Huddersfield is anything but a fashion statement. Instead, it stems from the architects taking a fresh look at stadium design, and seeking to improve the view for the average punter. To put it simply, the roof is curved because the stands are curved. Before anyone replies attacking the new and dangerous fashion of ‘curved stands’, may I point out the reason for this design. The curved stands mean there are no seats in the far top corners of the ground, as there are no corners! This makes it impossible to sit further than 90 yards from the centre circle and thus gives the paying customer a better view of the game. The curved roof keeps the spectators dry without needing any of those irritating posts that tend to block the view of the game. If Steve Hughes really wants to see a football ground that looks like a supermarket, I suggest he looks at another of Britain’s new stadiums, not Huddersfield. Wolves, Middlesbrough, Chester, Scunthorpe and Walsall have all built grounds in Sainsbury’s style. They may be aesthetically pleasing to Mr Hughes, but they aren’t much good for watching football in.
Robin Stewart, Huddersfield

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Monday 1 Graham Kelly confirms that the FA are interested in bidding for the 2006 World Cup, and says: "One of our early acts will be to inform the Germans of our intentions. What we won't want to do is split the vote as far as Europe is concerned." Scotland and Wales will not be involved in the bid. South Africa are also likely to be candidates.

Tuesday 2 After much wrangling Leeds have been taken over by the Caspian group, backed by ex-QPR sugar dad, Richard Thompson. Howard Wilkinson may spend some of their money to tempt David Batty, no, Jamie Pollock, easy mistake to make. West Ham sign the out of contract Paulo Futre from Milan with more big names to come: "We're going back to the era of Moore, Hurst and Peters," says Frank Lampard, clearly dreaming of cup runs, relegation battles and 4-0 defeats at Leicester.

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Following Alan Shearer's move to Newcastle, Premier League clubs have more talent than ever before

Alan Shearer has made a habit of living up to his billing: the two thirty-yard strikes on his Blackburn debut that accompanied the Crystal Palace chant of “what a waste of mon . . .”; the goal on his England debut against France; the five he notched in Euro ’96; leaving Blackburn the month he appears on the front cover waving at Kevin and Alex. £15m is a hell of a price tag, but if anyone can handle it and deliver 30 goals a season, then Al’s the boy.

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