Two top-ten teams in their group and trips to war-torn countries and earthquake-affected Turkey made the Republic of Ireland's qualifying campaign tricky, but Piers Edwards tells us how they came so close to success

“For us it is a football match, for them it is a matter of life and death.” Ireland’s manager Mick McCarthy was actually talking about the earthquake in Turkey, but he may as well have been discussing the football. For the Irish, it was another unbelievable episode in a campaign full of them. For Turkey, the earthquake meant the nation desperately craved the opportunity for celebration that the play-off promised.

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The 'Battle of Britain' had all the papers talking, but as Archie MacGregor discovers, the tabloids can take things a little to far

So that was the Battle of Britain. To paraphrase an apposite remark, surely never in the history of Scottish journalism has so much hype and mindless pos­turing been so relentlessly sus­tain­ed by so few. In Scotland, the sight of the national team once again performing its party piece of glorious fail­ure has been greeted with something approaching fat­alistic acceptance. Yet mix­ed in with the anguish, ennui and glee (at the Wembley result) there is also a tangible sense of relief that the goddam war is over. All that remains in the run-up to the season of goodwill is a deep-seated wish that the tabloids abide by the terms of the ceasefire. Some hope. 

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Dominic Smith attended England v Scotland and got a view of the two differing types of England fan

It’s been a few years since I watched a group of England fans – all replica shirts, union flags and Blackburn Rovers tattoos – follow a middle-aged woman down Wembley High Road, jeering and repeatedly calling her a “Paki”. Part of the dark old days which the FA and the media – all eagerly campaigning for the English 2006 World Cup bid – would have us believe are long gone.

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Supporting England still has its problems as Martin Cloake finds out

It may now be acceptable to admit to being a foot­­­­­­­­ball fan in polite company, but declare yourself an active England supporter and the old suspicions re­surface. Watching the telly and wanting England to win is fine, but actually going or, worst of all, following Eng­land ab­road, surely means there is something wrong with you.

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Known before as a successful sports promoter, Tom Davies tells us more about Barry Hearn

Distinguishing features Silver-haired, silver-tongued charmer (he would like to think). Bears a vague resemblance to Bill Clinton in a certain light, only tougher, smarmier and more insincere .

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