Twenty-five years ago, three UK national teams prepared for a World Cup along with Argentina, as the countries’ armed forces clashed in the South Atlantic. Jon Spurling examines the politics of football and the Falklands

The Falklands conflict and the 1982 World Cup inspired flag waving, jingoism and crude, stereotyped newspaper headlines. For a few weeks in early summer, football and politics became dangerously entwined. With the Home Nations’ withdrawal from the tournament a distinct possibility, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s unswerving belief that they should compete in Spain proved crucial. However, her typically stubborn public stance masked a much more cautious approach behind the scenes.

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Should the decisions of football’s governing bodies be more like the courts, where justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done? Dianne Millen examines the case for change

Much as it may pain them to acknowledge it, football clubs are not above the law. Like any other business, they can be sued by disgruntled ex-employees, and if they sell off their ground for supermarkets they need a valid contract. And every player, from the Premiership to part-timers, is subject to the criminal law (albeit some more frequently than others).

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West Ham are set to avoid relegation after escaping a points deduction from the Premier League. Some Middlesbrough fans are almost as unhappy about this as those of Sheffield United. Take Harry Pearson…

All that I know about legal matters dates back to the days when I was doing a diploma in hotel management. From what I recall precedent was all-important. “But it was established in Rex versus Pettigrew, 1936, that ‘a repast of sandwich and pickles did not constitute a substantial meal and therefore the sale of beer in this instance was illegal’,” our lecturer would drone as he lead us through the bizarre intricacies of the ­British licensing laws. Strangely, however, in all the waffle that the case of West Ham, the Premier League and Carlos Tévez has generated in the national media, precedent hardly seems to have warranted a mention.

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Truro City, the Cornish big shots aim for the league. Josh Widdicombe reports

Until recently, the only time Truro City had spent outside the South Western League was when they were relegated in 1975 because their ground had been demolished to widen a road. This summer they find themselves with a Wembley victory to brag about, are odds-on favourites to win the Western Premier Division next season on the back of two successive promotions and have plans for a new multi-million-pound stadium.

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Update on clubs in crisis, Tom Davies reports

How do you solve a problem like Leeds United? Reeling from relegation, fans have spent the subsequent weeks wondering who will control their club in League One. After much wrangling, Ken Bates has secured the 75 per cent backing needed from creditors for his newly formed company, Leeds United Football Club Limited, to take over and bring the club out of administration, though the deal will not be finalised until the Football League are satisfied that all “football debts” are met in full. Other creditors stand to receive just an ­eyebrow-raising 1p in the pound.

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