English Football and its Finances report makes 30 recommendations. Roger Titford argues that they are flawed and too idealistic
I remember lobbying MPs in the 1980s about the supporters’ identity-card schemes and being appalled at how out-of-touch and reactionary MPs were then. This report, English Football and its Finances, bears testimony to the sea-change in MPs’ attitudes to football and how much ground the “fans’ agenda” has captured. Sadly, this may be its only achievement.
John Charles was arguably Wales's greatest ever sportman. Huw Richards remembers the career of a footballer who could have traded his boots for boxing gloves
Last year John Charles said: “Only grandfathers remember me now.” How wrong he was was shown by well observed minutes’ of silence at venues as diverse as Kidderminster (playing his home town Swansea), Manchester United (v Leeds) and Bologna (v Juventus) and the tribute, moving in its unexpectedness, from Leeds’ extremely ungrandfatherly Alan Smith.
BBC coverage of the African Nations Cup fails to excite, reports Tom Davies
If there was a hint of desperation in the way the BBC hyped its first foray into covering the African Nations Cup, two years ago, there was at least a sense this year that it’s beginning to grow into the job. Of course, any broadcaster is hostage to the quality of the event and the 2002 ANC was a grim, joyless tournament whose dullness the Beeb couldn’t quite bring itself to admit, whereas Tunisia 2004, though patchy, greatly exceeded its predecessor for excitement and unpredictability.
Fans complain about everything these days
It may seem a bit churlish, given that fanzines generally and When Saturday Comes in particular started as and remain vehicles in which to voice concerns over how football is run, but we can’t help thinking that complaining has gone too far these days. Not over serious matters – the survival of clubs, the overarching influence of television, racism and the lack of a decent cup of tea at most grounds – but in the smaller details.
Sunday 1 Arsenal are back on top after a stormy 2-1 win over Man City. Nicolas Anelka scores the latter’s goal in the 90th minute but is sent off before the restart for a bundle in the goalmouth. Surprisingly, his sparring partner Ashley Cole is only booked. Chelsea just about stay in touch, needing a late winner from Glen Johnson to beat Blackburn 3-2. Sir Alex, meanwhile, faces a decision: to climb down in his court case or finally file papers with the judge in Dublin…