Thomas Pinault swapped the French riviera for the joys of Essex. Maison Urwin grilled Colchester's midfield anchor on his unlikely transition
Welcome to England. We are sure you will enjoy your stay. You will find the general public both friendly and hostile. Abuse will be a part of your professional life but will be kept to a minimum in social situations. You may be applauded for your footballing prowess but do not expect this to exempt you from being harangued for your national origins.
The allocation of tickets has caused more chaos and disruption than anything else, Mark Perryman explains how more needs to be done to ensure that England fans are catered for
The official FA ticket allocation for the match in Germany was around 6,000 seats, but a nightmare ensued for many hundreds who had snapped these places up only to head for Munich with no sign of their tickets. This was the first away match involving the relaunched supporters club, “englandfans”, run by the FA. All members sign an agreement which allows the FA to cross-reference applications against criminal records. This process undoubtedly contributed to the delay in issuing tickets.
Burnley have nurtured a community-conscious image, but their response to this summer's riots confirmed the club's blind spot over racism, says Andrew Firmin
The last few years have been strange ones for Burnley. We no longer fight relegation to the Third Division, but instead hold plausible hopes of a top six finish in the First. A new regime runs the club, season ticket sales are through the roof and our manager has put together a team that wins a lot. Supporters are, therefore, mostly happy. They also have an opportunity to feel more involved. Representatives from Burnley’s diffuse network of supporters’ clubs are treated to regular meetings with the chairman and chief executive. Compare to the infamous days when one director asked: “What can a fan tell us that we don’t know?”
Gabriele Marcotti explores the stories of some of the less celebrated Italian imports
There is a world beyond that of the Zolas and Dii Canios, one generally inhabited by Italian footballing refugees who, rarely by choice, take the plunge into the muddy waters of non-Premiership Britain. It is difficult to categorise them, beyond the fact that all had very compelling reasons to leave the world of calcio. Why else would you walk away?
He has been at Chelsea since before the fall of the Berlin wall, yet has played barely 100 games. Mike Ticher looks at the enigma of the underemployed keeper
“Yesterday upon the stair I met a man who wasn’t there. He wasn’t there again today. I wish that man would go away.”