Wales’s journey from outsiders to group favourites to narrow play-off failures leaves Paul Ashley-Jones unsure whether to despair at another defeat or celebrate progress
It’s the Euro 2004 draw and, despite my shutting myself in the other room, my wife insists on shouting out who’s in which group. I’ve not quite reached the fingers-in-ears stage but it’s getting pretty close.
Archie MacGregor believes Berti Vogts’ forward thinking is the one thing going for the German, but Scotland’s topsy-turvy play-off defeat to Holland was a dismal throwback
Ah, the roller-coaster ride that is the lot of the Scotland supporter. From exultant, wide-eyed optimism to the pits of despair in four days. Wasn’t this sort of thing supposed to have been banished once and for all after Argentina 78?
The FA’s recent history is just one long club versus country row, as the new chief executive has soon discovered. Simon Tindall wonders if Mark Palios can ever bring peace
One year on from the resignation of Adam Crozier, the new Football Association chief executive, Mark Palios, is ensnared in the same eternal triangle that besets English football – the relationship between the top clubs, the top players and the England team.
Well, United, anyway. Oh, and it’s a city. Darren Fletcher reports on how Mr Fry has extended his control of Peterborough but has also responded to his many critics
For years Posh fans have winced at media references to “Barry Fry’s Peterborough United”. But finally the term has some credence as he now owns 99.6 per cent of the club, becoming the first English football manager to double up as owner. In April this year, former owner Peter Boizot finally sold his stake to a consortium funded by Colin Hill, a property developer, and led by former chairman Alf Hand. The deal went through in 24 hours and was passed off to supporters as Posh being saved from those who sought to make a fast buck from redeveloping the London Road site.
For clubs in trouble, bringing the fans on board can help stabilise a crisis and renew confidence. Ken Gall reports on the experiences at the Sixfields Stadium and Tannadice
In a world of Russian billionaires, Franchise FC and “living the dream”, it’s not hard to see why greater supporter involvement in the boardrooms of UK clubs is to be desired. The rise of the supporters’ trust movement and the arrival of fans – elected or otherwise – as directors has been a welcome development and one of the few beneficial consequences of the financial shambles that is UK football.