My name is Steve Hall. I am a Brit who lives in Spain and who loves football.

In 2010 I cycled to all the 92 football league clubs in England and Wales. I set off in May and finished on 23 September 2010. I was met with almost universal kindness, hospitality and friendship.

I had great plans for retracing the route in 2020/2022. Sadly Covid and then a long spell in hospital scuppered my plans.  I will soon announce a new trip.

Please check through the site to learn more about the project, the people involved and how you can also help and get involved.

Thanks

Steve

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It was a pleasure talking to Dave Collins about football this week, ironically about Isle of Man football but the conversation soon moved on to his beloved Welsh Football. He is very excited to announce that the 250th edition of the Welsh Football Magazine will be out shortly and, of course, I told him I would be delighted to give it a shout out!

Keep up the great work, Dave


THE FOOTBALL GAZETTEER OF WALES 2023-24

Welsh Football magazine has published an updated 2023-24 edition of their FOOTBALL GAZETTEER OF WALES (Cyfeirlyfr Meysydd Pêl-droed Cymru). 

Last year’s experimental edition of this directory-style publication proved very popular with groundhoppers and other followers of Welsh football, as it provided the first comprehensive listing of all football grounds used at every level of the adult men’s and women’s  game.  

The 2023-24 edition once again lists every club and the ground(s) they use, organised by league. 

Directions are included, with postcodes, nearest railway stations and public transport advice. 

The Gazetteer retails for £6.00 (£8.50 including postage for mail order) and is published under ISBN 978-1-7396083-1-6 and is available direct from the publisher or through the Books Council of Wales and many independent bookshops around the country. 

WELSH FOOTBALL REACHES 250 ISSUES

Welsh Football magazine will reach another milestone with its 250^th issue in December 2023. 

Launched in 1992, the magazine aimed to fill a gap in the market by covering the domestic and international football scene in Wales.  The nation was asserting its independence from English football and within months we’d see the formation of the first real national league – the League of Wales (now Cymru Premier). 

Run by unpaid enthusiasts as a non-profit publication, the magazine has now been published continuously for 32 years and has developed from humble beginnings to a professional quality product, appearing eight times each season. 

The first edition of the season, every August, is the annual GUIDE TO WELSH FOOTBALL, the only comprehensive annual preview of the domestic football system in Wales that covers every region of the country and every level of the adult men’s and women’s game.  And every June the season’s run is completed with a comprehensive END OF SEASON REVIEW covering all the season’s honours and outcomes. In between these, the six other issues cover news, articles and comment as the season unfolds, with regular club and football history features.

For further information please contact:

David Collins | Editor | welshfootball{at}gmail.com | 07801 299819

About Welsh Football magazine: 

Welsh Football is the national football magazine of Wales, published continuously since 1992 by fans, for fans, on a not-for-profit basis.  Its mission is to celebrate and promote football in Wales. 

Based in Cardiff, the magazine is independently published and is proud to be “an independent magazine for an independent football nation”. 

Website:  www.welsh-football.net   Facebook:  Welsh Football magazine – WFM
X (was Twitter):          @CollinsWFM   

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I was following a post on FB yesterday about the teams playing on the English pyramid but who are from the islands. Guernsey and Jersey are two teams punching above their weight and playing in the Isthmian and Combined County leagues but the thread moved to FC Isle of Man who play in the North West Counties League alongside Bury, Glossop North End, Cheadle Town, AFC Liverpool and others. So, every away game is on the mainland!

A couple of their supporters joined the thread and kindly gave great advice so a trip to the Isle of Man is now in the diary for the Spring. I would like to thank and Ray for the welcome and information and hope others can make use of it and may be enticed!

Pauline Bruce says, “Ravens (FC Isle of Man) supporters love to welcome visiting fans and to travel over the Irish Sea to away games. As visiting fans and ourselves have to book ferries, flights and accommodation well in advance to take advantage of cheaper deals, it’s very inconvenient for the league to arbitrarily move our fixtures to accommodate cup ties. (I will keep my thoughts on the Combined Counties to myself! Editor)

I hope Bury get through their next cup match. Good luck to them but the following round is scheduled to be when they are due to play us at the Bowl. I believe over a thousand plan to come over and many have already booked their travel and hotels.

I appreciate we are very lucky to have been accepted into the NWCFL and it’s a unique situation in football for visiting fans to have to travel so far but it’s like a breath of fresh air to welcome them, have a few pints at the Pinewood and engage in friendly banter.

I know, from speaking to away fans that they really enjoy their mini break on our lovely island (and the football too). It’s a marvellous league to be in. I just hope that the league take note of our special position when rearranging matches.”

Ray McMullen added, “There is a good regular bus service from the airport to Douglas, actually goes past the entrance to the Bowl.

Or, depending upon flight time, you’d probably want to go into town/check in to your accommodation first. Then get a bus/taxi/walk to the Pinewood for a pre match pint or two and some grub before heading to the Bowl for the 6pm kick off.”

By now I am hooked. I ask about my other great interest – transport and, glory be, Pauline continues, “Have we got railways? Yes we have! A Victorian Steam Railway that covers the south of the island; an electric railway that covers the north of the island and goes to the top of the mountain and a horse tram that trots along the prom in Douglas. Look them up on Visit Isle of Man. They don’t run in the winter but we have a couple of fixtures in April against teams from Liverpool which will be interesting. If you are interested in transport, we also have a transport museum and a motorbike museum.

There will be extra matches at the end of the season including play-offs (maybe) as well. To get the best island experience you are better waiting until the warmer weather when everything will be open. Let me know when you are coming and we’ll get out the welcome wagon.”

As always, the Shirt fascinates me and it’s terrific, isn’t it? Their Twitter says, “We are pleased to say that the Welcome Centre located in the Sea Terminal now stock a range of FC Isle of Man Merchandise.  They are open from 8am until 6pm, Monday to Saturday. Head on down to the Sea Terminal to get your Ravens’ merchandise.”

The website is here (look at the tld!) and this is the Official Twitter account. They are members of @NWCFL Premier Division and sponsored by @ManxTelecom

#UnleashTheRavens

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It is always good to hear from my friends at Prostate FC – here are their early season updates

It’s been a busy first few months of the football season, so here’s a round up of what’s been going on in the world of Prostate FC

Football fans, managers and staff join forces to raise thousands

Clubs from across the UK joined forces in October for the annual Prostate United challenge, with Doncaster Rovers, Newcastle United and Derby County just a few of the clubs that got involved.

Together, clubs raised well over £235,000 to fund ground-breaking prostate cancer research and vital support for men and their families, but which club finished top of the fundraising table?

Ex-Man City and Brighton boss shares his own prostate cancer story

It’s why football clubs, staff and fans are raising money to fight prostate cancer. To keep football fans with their families for longer. Men like Brian Horton.

Much-travelled football manager, Brian Horton, hailed the ‘lifesaving’ League Managers Association (LMA) and former teammates for convincing him to go public with his own prostate cancer diagnosis.

…and Super Stelling steps up once again!
Back in September, Jeff Stelling marched from Wembley to Wycombe in honour of the late, great Bill Turnbull.

The event, which was sponsored by GenesisCare, raised an incredible £396,394. Some might say “Unbelievable, Jeff!”, but we’re better than that.

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I was delighted to meet Stuart Smith on a Facebook football group this week. Regular visitors to TheShirt2010.co.uk will know that I have an active interest in football art.

Stuart makes 3D Acrylic wall mounted crests and I think these are probably the most professional I ahve seen.

He tells me, ” I make mainly 300mm/600mm size ,so would like to stick to them sizes, for the time being.

There could be classed as hand-made as 90 percent of the work is done by hand.

I only work with pure Acrylic because the colours can’t be matched by any other products.

Dual purpose can be used outdoors and indoors.

Prices are as follows:

300 or 600mm £35.00+postage

If you require any further information please get in touch. I have set up a Facebook page ”

Stuart now also offer 4″ fridge magnets at just £6 + postage. Here are a few examples.

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An interesting story this week …

MACRON UEFA REFEREE SHIRT

Being in the right place at the right time, knowing all the rules, managing conflict, taking difficult decisions and team leadership. These are essential characteristics an any true leader. They are also typical of the people who take charge of all UEFA competitions. In the matchday 4 of the UEFA Champions League group stage, the referees will take to the pitch with the message “BE A REFEREE!” on their shirts.

The idea is part of a project to encourage young people to take up refereeing as a career and to become positive role models and leaders on the pitch and in everyday life. Becoming and serving as a referee demands professionalism, technical and athletic skills, problem-solving abilities and leadership. This same journey of personal development is also what it takes to succeed in everyday and professional life.
Macron, the Official UEFA Referee Match Kit Supplier, shares these same values and supports UEFA in this new initiative. The message “BE A REFEREE” will appear on the front and back of the referees’ shirts in all matches of this round of the Champions League. In addition to customised kits, the campaign will be backed up by signage around the stadiums and will also be mentioned by radio and TV commentators before during the games.

“In work and in life, developing the ability to make decisions, handle critical situations and conflict, know the rules and lead a team enables people to achieve ambitious targets,” explains Gianluca Pavanello, CEO of Macron. “These are winning characteristics in a company and on the pitch. And these are exactly the characteristics that the referee training programme develops. We fully support this initiative and the values it conveys. Referees play an essential role and we are happy to help them by supplying them with high performance, comfortable and practical sportswear.”

“Being referee is a very difficult job and courage is the most important value for refereeing. – said UEFA’s chief refereeing officer Roberto Rosetti – Protecting football, protecting the image of the game is our common goal. UEFA Referees are delighted to have Macron in our family. Same values and great challenges for the future.”

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It is always good to hear from our friends at FATJOE. Today they are not talking about football, but rather golf! I thought you would enjoy this too.

The game of golf is beautiful in its simplicity, but it’s not as straightforward as it looks on the TV. It takes lots of patience and plenty of skill in order to master it. It takes a lot of patience and plenty of school just to get the basics right sometimes. Once you get things going, it can be an extremely satisfying sport. Walking around a golf course in the summer with your friends it’s something that most of us should experience at least once in life. It’s great exercise, and you feel wonderful once it’s done. It can be both challenging and relaxing at the same time, weirdly. 

When it comes to the golf challenge, a lot of people give up very quickly because they feel as though they won’t be able to adapt to what’s necessary. There are so many ways we can all elevate our golf game, however. Here are just a few is it can be done:

Always Work On The Perfection Of The Swing 

A lot of people like to run before they even walk when it comes to golf. It’s a brilliant game, so getting out on the course quickly is understandable, however. You should always make sure you improve the quality of your swing, though. There will typically always be something you can do in order to make it better. It’s not just about hitting a ball hard; making sure the technique and accuracy are there matters, too. It’s nothing a few months at a driving range can’t solve. Always remember that tedious times happen to everyone and that your potentially poor swinging isn’t out of the ordinary. 

Precise Short Game

When you think about golf, you typically only worry about being able to whack a ball very hard so that it goes very far. You still have to be precise towards the end of the hole, however. You need to ensure that you’re able to putt, lob, and chip a ball sensibly – sensibly being the operative word here. So many people overhit when they get close due to a lack of discipline. Again, this can be learned at a driving range. You can also buy a cheap hole to put in your living room in order to practice your putting technique. 

Strategic Thinking And Course Management 

It’s not just a case of hitting a ball across a field toward the pin. You have to be smart with what you are doing. Strategies come into play because of the variables that surround each course, hole, and day. You cannot always just strike the ball at the pin because there could be so many problems along the way. Sometimes, you have to take a safer approach and go the long way around. It’ll take more time but you’ll achieve a better score because of these wise moves. 

Optimize Your Game With The Right Gear
Your ability comes into it a lot of the time, but it’s amazing what the right equipment can do. If you have the right golf accessories and the perfect clubs for you, things can change significantly. There are so many instances of people upgrading their gear and having a much better time. It’s an extremely satisfying feeling knowing that your ability was plateauing simply because of the clubs you were using. You are able to hit the ball further and cleaner simply because you have a higher-quality club. Don’t be afraid to invest money in the accessories in order to make the overall experience better.

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It was never my intention to do this follow up book to 101 Manchester City match worn shirts which was released in 2021, but as a passionate City match shirt collector it’s a pleasure to be able to share another part of my collection, some stories regarding the shirts and the season’s memories that they may bring.

My collection has grown considerably over the past few years, as has the hobby in general. You only have to scroll through the many social media channels to see the number of accounts now dedicated to collecting not only match worn shirts but football shirts in general. I can’t speak for other collectors but I can safely say they may well agree with me when I do say the feeling never get’s old of adding a new shirt or unearthing a real holy grail of a shirt into collection. This was the case for me during the first lockdown when after many years of trying to trace the unusual yellow away shirt that was only ever worn once by City at Arsenal on 14^th October 1989, with just one set of shirts produced it has become a real holy grail of City shirts for any collection. The kit was hastily given away by then City director Freddie Pye, following our 4-0 defeat, and the instructions of Chairman Peter Swales who demanded that the kit was never to been seen again, well it was actually seen numerous times across Manchester’s Saturday and Sunday leagues when it was used by local team MMS who were managed at the time by Liam Hall. The kit was used well into the 1990’s before the side broke up, a lot of players got to keep the shirts but the majority have long been since sold on. A few have surfaced more recently but were quickly snapped up by a dealer who then sold them for huge profits. After many online requests for the shirt, convinced that there will be one still out there I was put onto a fellow blue called Billy Bell, who had found one just stored in a bag of old City shirts, just waiting to be discovered. A deal was quickly arranged with Billy, who in fairness could have sold the shirt on for much high profits but as a man of his word, he kept to our deal which I’ll be forever grateful. A courier was quickly arranged to be sent to collect the shirt which I’m thrilled to have in the collection as there certainly aren’t to many, if anymore out there. 

Manchester City have played, and still do to this day, a huge part of my life, as many football fans will tell you, our clubs were our first real love, the ones we can forgive no matter what they throw our way. City have certainly tested that unconditional love over the 40 years I have supported the club, although the past 15 years or so have been pretty incredible to say the least. In February 2023 I was kindly invited by the club to take part in the 2023/24 season kit launch where I spent the day in and around the first team while featuring in the official home fans and players photo shoot along with the likes of Jack Grealish, Erling Haaland, Riyad Mahrez and former City goalkeeper Alex Williams. I also spent time with our current kit manufactures Puma talking about kit designs and ideas while showing them a collection of match shirts we have worn over the years, the day was topped off when I was introduced to legendary Oasis singer Noal Gallagher who was filming a piece using my shirts, another honour for me and I was delighted to be able to present him with a copy of my first book, for the record Noel’s favourite City shirt is the 86-88 black & red chess board chequered style. A big thank you to Paul Mulholland and City for making a brilliant day of memories to be treasured.

With just over 600 shirts now in the collection I hope the book will spark some memories of days gone by, some you may want to forget and some you will never forget.

You can order a copy direct from Mark which can include a signed dedicated message of choice which will make a perfect birthday or Christmas gift for any blue.

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AS ROMA AND RIYADH SEASON ANNOUNCE NEW FRONT OF SHIRT PARTNERSHIP

AS Roma is delighted to announce a new partnership with Riyadh Season, which will see one of the world’s leading entertainment events become the club’s new front-of-shirt sponsor.

With its fourth edition set to commence at the end of this month, Riyadh Season attracts visitors from around the world to Saudi Arabia’s capital during the winter months every year to experience thousands of concerts, exhibitions, dining experiences and other unique entertainment events featuring some of the biggest brands and individuals.

His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, said, “The yellow and red jersey is unique, it is synonymous with AS Roma around the world, and we are proud that Riyadh Season will now be associated with such an iconic shirt.

“Like football, Riyadh Season is aimed at bringing people together with its extensive range of international entertainment events and this collaboration will offer even greater visibility through one of the world’s most supported clubs.

“Roma’s recent success in Europe makes this an exciting time to be a part of this famous club and we look forward to seeing what can be achieved in the coming years together.”

Sporting events play a fundamental role in the Riyadh Season calendar, and as a result of this agreement, fans will have the opportunity to watch AS Roma play a friendly match in Riyadh. The Giallorossi will return to Saudi Arabia more than 40 years after their last visit, where they will be met by the country’s great passion for football, as demonstrated by the numerous high-profile players currently competing in the Saudi Pro League.

“We are excited to welcome Riyadh Season as the new main partner of AS Roma,” said Lina Souloukou, AS Roma’s Chief Executive Officer & General Manager.

“Riyadh Season is one of the biggest winter entertainment events in the world, with sport at its heart. Our partnership is recognition of AS Roma as a global brand with strategic importance for the future of football in Saudi Arabia. This market is becoming increasingly significant for the world of football and we believe our collaboration will generate many interesting and unique opportunities. First of all, we look forward to playing our friendly matches there and experiencing first hand the passion this country has for football”.

Riyadh’s inaugural season began in October 2019 to a resounding success, with visitor numbers topping 10 million. Following events have broken multiple Guinness World Records, establishing the company’s excellent reputation for engaging their audience.

#DAJEROMADAJE … I added that!

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Hot on the heels of “The Art of the Con”, Arton sent me a press release for his latest book. I think many will like it!

 “I first wrote part of this story as a script in 2019. It gnawed away at my mind since, so I had to finish it. Honestly, I knew from the start I’d have to.

It’s inspired by characters I met long, long ago when I spent some time around the personal development industry. It’s a hypnotic psychological thriller about the investigation of a man who claims to be able to cure cancer through nothing more than talking.

If you’re fascinated by Derren Brown (I met him briefly when I was 18, a story I may tell you at some point), or have enjoyed films like Magnolia, Trance, Nightmare Alley, Red Lights, and The Manchurian Candidate, I really think it’s for you.

I don’t know how many hundreds or thousands of hours went into it, but I’m proud of it (it takes a lot for me to say that), and its had great feedback from its advanced readers.

As an independent author, it’s really important it gets a strong start out of the blocks. If Amazon sees a book is selling well at its launch, it will use its considerable powers to actively promote it and will also give little authors like me cheaper advertising options.

That said, if you like the look of it for yourself or as a gift (Christmas isn’t too far away) for people you know who’d like this sort of story, pick up a copy or three.

It’s currently only £2.99 for the eBook (that may go up in the next few days), the paperback is £11.99, and it’s also available on Kindle Unlimited.

If you’re intrigued by the topics I mentioned above, I truly believe you’ll enjoy it.

Any support you can show, whether it’s buying, reading, or telling others about it in person or on social media, would be greatly appreciated.”

Get your copy here

To see his previous books, click here and here

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Many of you will remember Arton James’ last novel, Weaver Pitch TV that I was delighted to feature here. I was pleased to hear from him today and he asked whether I liked his new banner.

“I’ll be writing all non-football stuff under ‘Arton Baleci’, so it needed updating. Plus, I have a new book out today.

It’s actually a prequel novella for the novel I’ve told you about recently. It’s about a con artist. Think along the lines of Catch Me If You Can, The Talented Mr Ripley and Nightmare Alley. I don’t want to say much more than that.

You can go buy it at Amazon if you want – hell, feel free to download the free version and buy the paid one just because you like me! – but I’m making it free for everybody on my list. Thank you for your continued interest in my work.

Just click the cover below and you’ll be able to download it in a format of your liking.

And if you do like it, tell your friends. It’s 99p or free if they sign up for the list too.

I’ve put every bit of thought and effort into writing every page of this as I do with all my work, and the advanced feedback on it has been superb, so I think there’s a great chance you’ll really enjoy it.

More stuff coming your way over the next few days.

Click here and let me know how you find the read,

Arton”

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