The blame for Wimbledon's relegation has been placed with Egil Olsen, the Norwegian owners and the demise of the 'Crazy Gang', but that story doesn't wash, says Kris Stewart 

Relegation. Even out of context it’s a horrible word. Not a word I’d even thought much about before the past few weeks. A horrible end to a horrible season. Read the press and you would believe the fault for Wimbledon’s relegation lies with Egil Olsen, our Norwegian owners and the demise of the “Crazy Gang”. But there are many Wimbledon fans who do not buy that version of events.

Read more…

The Heysel disaster should be a reminder of the potential dangers ahead at Euro 2000

On May 29, the city of Liverpool formally marked the anniversary of the Heysel disaster for the first time, 15 years after it occurred. If anyone needed any further reminders of the worst that can happen at big international football ev­ents, the timing could not have been bet­ter.

Read more…

There is not ingrained reason to pick one team or the other in Nottingham, says Al Needham. And now it's County's turn again

As anyone from Derby or Leicester will tell you, Nottingham is not a “football hotbed”. The relationship between the city’s two clubs is more like a resentful older brother (County) and his more successful, patronising sibling (Forest). When the half- time results are announced at the City Ground, a County lead is cheered – Forest really want to see County rise to their level. If Forest are behind at half-time, the fans at Meadow Lane laugh and jeer – they really, really want Forest to fall to theirs.

Read more…

Martin O’Neill has worked wonders at Leicester but, as John Williams explains, his mentor’s title-winning achievements are out of reach 

Earlier this season Leicester City, playing at home in the Worthington Cup and stinking out even Filbert Street’s Shanks and McEwan Stand (sponsor’s motto: “For all your waste needs”), found themselves two goals down to a Fulham side late in the match. The visitors had run the game and at most clubs this might already have been given up and put down as just a bad night. Not here. A whirling Martin O’Neill signalled a final throw, a new City partnership up front.

Read more…

Derby supporter Alistair Hewitt reflects on ow his expectations for the team have changed since the heady days of the Seventies

At home I have a dusty old copy of Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and a few Slade singles. Somewhere in the attic I’ve got school reports which told my mother how I was rude and lazy and cheated in exams. When the mood takes me, I can still recall how the sunshine brought out the freckles on the face of my first girlfriend.

Read more…