Fierce rivalry is one thing, but Swansea and Cardiff has become a poisonous affair in recent years. It wasn't always that way, explains Huw Richards

Gavin Gordon of Oxford United probably did not enjoy playing against Swansea in October. He got the reception George Bush might expect at a peace rally, was booed unceasingly and went off injured after about 20 minutes. Swans fans enjoyed the game even less, mind you, going bottom of the league for the sec­ond time after a 1-0 defeat. The abuse of Gordon was not racist in intent, although the Swans following is not free of that poison. Gordon’s crime was not that he is black, but that he was a Bluebird. That’s all it takes.

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Yeovil, perhaps the most famous non-League side, are edging towards the Third Division. Adam Mornement weighs up the pros and cons of a possible promotion

On January 6, 1949 Yeovil Town beat Sunderland to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup. Subsequent generations of Glovers – handwear is still a thriving local industry – have been brought up to believe that achieving League status is Yeovil’s birth­right. But nearly 54 years on, the club’s destiny remains unfulfilled.

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Almost alone among their former communist neighbours, Czech clubs have made some headway in the Champions League era. Sam Beckwith reports

These are strange days in the Czech Republic: European Union entry, which has been dangled on a string since 1989, finally seems imminent; the citizens of Prague and Brno are spoilt for choice when it comes to multiplex cinemas and out-of-town shopping centres; and even Viktoria Zizkov’s Jur­assic-era stadium is all-seater now.

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Ian Plenderleith goes looking for football collectibles and comes back without any bargains, but with an insight into a weird world where Eva Perón rubs virtual shoulders with middle-aged Surrey saddos

At DC United’s final home game of the season you could have your match ticket punched in exchange for a Bobble Doll of Un­ited and US defender Eddie Pope. Eddie is modelling the black kit of his club side, who that evening finished bottom of the US professional league, and has a star-spangled banner draped around his neck. He is also, according to the box, “genuine” (meaning the doll is eith­er honest, or is the actual Eddie Pope), “hand crafted and hand painted”, and his oversized head jerks around on a spring like he’s having some sort of a seizure. What’s more, he’s col­lectible.

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Following the media frenzy over Wayne Rooney, Barney Ronay looks at teenage players who have acquired star status without even stepping on to the pitch

“Just 16, with brutal power and terrifying pace. The man-boy has nerves of steel and fears no one. He is Wayne Rooney. He is… A PHENOMENON”

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