Author Archive

Redruth United FC

Got to be honest, Redruth United FC is not one of the “92” and nor is it likely to be for a season or two. However a great story came out of the club this week that made me think a lot about the game. Regular readers will remember that I have done several articles on sponsorship and that I am not always clear that both parties benefit as much as they could …. or should!

Have a read of this, please , which I found on their Facebook Page.

“

Now that our season has finally reached its conclusion for 2023/24, we would like to take this opportunity to thank each, and every person connected with Redruth United Football Club for helping play their part in us having such an incredible and memorable campaign both on and off the park.

The performances this season are a reward for many years of doing the right things, working hard, sacrificing plenty, attracting the right people and the dedication given by all these people. Doing what everyone has done and in the way they have done has given so many amazing experiences to remember for a lifetime, and hopefully allow us to enjoy many more of these experiences in the future.

As a club it gives us an immense sense of pride to see so many people come together and be part of this special club and experience so many memorable moments with so many people. Togetherness and inclusivity have been the foundations on which our club and success has been built. From inside the dressing room, to the boardroom and on the sidelines together we have kicked every ball, celebrated every goal, and this season in particular, have picked each other up after a few tough results. That togetherness has been the difference and has been the special ingredient that has set us apart as a club, on and off the pitch.

We are so proud of the performances and commitment of all Redruth United players within the club, adults and youth section. Your efforts continue to go above and beyond and not unnoticed. We are very grateful for all that you give our club.

I also wish to give my heartfelt thanks to the business community ( Club Sponsor Omnia, supporting The Lily Foundation)

Garage Door and Automation CoGary Murphy Plumbing & Heating LimitedPlumbase RedruthABL Plastics LimitedLJ Laundry Services LtdHands on Gardening1000 Flags Healeys Cornish Cyder FarmKeltek BrewerySt Piran Garden and Home ServicesMcDonald’sEquest.CoachAbsolute Flooring (SW) Ltd Caw Cornwall Serco UKThe William IVMKM Building Supplies RedruthRedruth Charity Trust) and individuals who continue to support and partner us via sponsorship, advertising and hospitality which is invaluable in helping us deliver so much more than just football.

Finally, a massive thank you to our supporters and volunteers, we could not have had such a memorable season without your dedication behind the scenes which has not gone unnoticed. We cannot wait to start all over again in season 2024/25, where we can make new memories and dream big together.

Have a wonderful summer and we look forward to seeing you all at Clijah Park next season”


Logos of some of the sponsors.

I thought that this was a genuinely classy post by the people behind Redruth United. I too would like to offer my thanks to these worthy companies. I do not know any of you but I do know that football at this level absolutely DEPENDS on people like you supporting your local clubs. As a total outsider I give you thanks and hope you benefit from the association with the club and will continue to support them in the years to come. #RESPECT

Guys, I wish you all at Redruth United every success next season. With an attitude like yours, you deserve only the very best.

My own little club in London is equally dependent on external funds and have this week announced that Season Tickets will shortly be available and that the price has been frozen at just £25 for 2024/2025. (NOTE this is a full season ticket for approximately 20 games.) I hope you are enjoying this digital tour of the clubs and maybe you would consider taking a season ticket at this bargain price.

Please kindly remember that the purpose of this 90 day challenge is to raise funds for my local club, FC Deportivo Galicia and an equal amount for Prostate Cancer. I also hope you will consider a donation to support FC Deportivo Galicia and/or Prostate Cancer UK 

If everybody chipped in with just £1 I would easily hit my target of £10,000 and life would be easier in West London whilst the charity could continue their great work. If everybody took a season ticket we’d be absolutely delighted. Just look through the website and you will see that you are GUARANTEED goals!

A HEARTFELT thanks, if you can help in any way. Thank you.

one of the great truths of a project like this is that it is often easier to rely on yourself than others. A couple of interviews for this week did not materialise, shall we say and to put it politely. It was fantastic then to deal with the boys at Beer Lanyard FC who came back to me within 0.000023 microseconds and say they were happy to help. Proud of them.

This looks like a great day out and for a great cause. Justin Edinburgh was a Spurs legend with over 200 league games before he moved into management and had a spell at my beloved Gillingham. The thing about Justin is that nobody, but nobody has a bad word to say about him. Everyone who has ever had dealings with him says he was consistently open and honest and behaved with credibility and integrity. Like me he had a SCA, fortunately I survived but tragically he did not. The JE3 Foundation was set up in his memory.

For three decades, Justin Edinburgh inspired the masses as a professional footballer and promotion-winning manager. Today, his impact reverberates as the Justin Edinburgh 3 Foundation campaigns for legislative change on the installation of Automated External Defibrillators within health and sports facilities, while raising awareness of cardiac arrest and delivering CPR training. More details here

So, a great day out at Sixfields in prospect. For more details check out the official Beer Lanyard website

Manchester City

There is only one place to be today – the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, home of Manchester City FC. They have done it AGAIN! Yes, for the fourth season on the row, they have taken the Premier League title. Congratulations. After university I lived literally 100 yards (if that!) from Maine Rd, their old stadium and I often used to watch them in the 80s. Remember those were the days when it was shillings to get in and I could afford to go to City one week and United the next. I have seen some great players there and some fantastic matches without ever becoming a City fan. I remember my first Manchester “derby” there, Glynn Pardoe’s testimonial in probably 1978.

A lot has been said about the financial irregularities at City and whilst I suppose there is no smoke without fire, I have no knowledge whatsoever about their guilt. What I cannot accept is that Nottingham Forest and Everton can be dealt with quickly but the cases against City seem to drag on and on and nobody has any idea if/when/how we will learn their fate. One the basis that English Law says innocent until proven guilty I suppose we just have to accept that they have won the title. Presumably they could equally be stripped of it…who knows?

What we do know is that from a footballing perspective they were the best team, won the most points and when Liverpool drifted away in the last ten games, I knew there was only one winner. It would be wrong of me not to send my best wishes to Jurgen Klopp as he leaves Anfield. In nine years he has turned the club around and left it in a fantastic position for his successor. Impressive!

My tuktuk digital tour pushes on and I still have Bristol City & Rovers and Birmingham in my sights but in the meantime, kindly remember that the purpose of this 90 day challenge is to raise funds for my local club, FC Deportivo Galicia and an equal amount for Prostate Cancer. As always, I hope that you are all enjoying the tour of the UK and that you will consider a donation to support FC Deportivo Galicia and/or Prostate Cancer UK 

If everybody chipped in with just £1 I would easily hit my target of £10,000 and life would be easier in West London whilst the charity could continue their great work. A HEARTFELT thanks, if you can.

Glory, Glory, Man United …as the song goes!

I saw a story this week that jut SCREAMED the Shirt Project. SCREAMED and SCREAMED again. Regular readers will know that I first got involved when I heard of Bjørn Heidenstrøm’s cycle ride from Oslo, Norway to South Africa. That “encouraged me” to cycle to the 92 clubs. Well, this week I have heard of Ochirvaani “Ochiroo” Batbold (AKA Wazza) from Mongolia (yes, the one near China) to Old Trafford.
Let’s follow his story…

In May 2023, Ochirvaani “Ochiroo” Batbold left his home country of Mongolia to embark on a 14,000km cycling journey to Manchester United‘s stadium, Old Trafford. 

He has supported the Red Devils since 2010 and his first memory is the match versus Liverpool in September 2010 – a game famous for Dimitar Berbatov‘s hat-trick in a 3-2 win.

Batbold wrote a letter to the club, explaining: “I’m currently cycling from my home in Mongolia to Old Trafford because I love Manchester United. Wayne Rooney has always been my hero. I loved his relentless work ethic, versatility and ability to rise to the occasion in crucial moments. He was always an inspiration.

“When I was younger all I ever wanted to do was to be a professional footballer and to play for Manchester United, however I experienced a difficult situation. I lost a significant amount of money after being deceived by someone posing as a football agent. I felt like I was living a nightmare.”

When the club saw the letter and read his story, they decided to organise a very special surprise involving United legend Rooney.

Batbold thought he had been invited to a tour of Old Trafford, but Rooney appeared from the concourse to meet him in person.

Rooney said: “I really wanted to come and meet you and just say well done! I know you might think that we inspire you, or we inspire the fans, but what you’ve done is an incredible achievement and you should be really proud of what you’ve done.” 

See the full video here

To make Batbold’s trip even more memorable, he was invited back to the stadium to watch Man Utd against Arsenal, where he had the opportunity to soak up the atmosphere from the directors’ box and meet Sir Alex Ferguson and club captain Bruno Fernandes.

So, to put that trip from Mongolia into perspective, that is about five times what I did. I am hugely impressed and inspired. Congratulations, hero. My little (nay, tiny) tuktuk digital tour pushes on and I still have Manchester City, Bristol City & Rovers and Birmingham in my sights but in the meantime, kindly remember that the purpose of this 90 day challenge is to raise funds for my local club, FC Deportivo Galicia and an equal amount for Prostate Cancer. As always, I hope that you are all enjoying the tour of the UK and that you will consider a donation to support FC Deportivo Galicia and/or Prostate Cancer UK 

If everybody chipped in with just £1 I would easily hit my target of £10,000 and life would be easier in West London whilst the charity could continue their great work. A HEARTFELT thanks, if you can.

Aston Villa

Emery at Sevilla in 2016

So, yesterday it was Bournemouth and today it is Aston Villa. I think I could make a case for them being the two clubs in the Premier League who have most over-delivered this season. (Obviously it is a HUGE surprise that Arsenal were not relegated but that’s another story for another day!) Unai Emery has done a fantastic job at Villa Park and they are now guaranteed European football next season too. Impressive. Here’s a little side story, Emery knows about The Shirt Project from waaaaaaaay back in 2009 when Bjorn and I were invited to the training ground to watch the Valencia squad train for an away cup game at Slavia Prague. By absolute coincidence it was his birthday (3 November) and we presented him a Shirt pin-badge as a little birthday present. He showed gratitude. Since then he has had great success throughout Europe at Spartak Moscow, Sevilla, Paris SG and Villarreal. For reasons I cannot understand he went to Arsenal for a season. I presume he regrets that on his CV. Great manager shame about the team! So, congratulations to him again.

What of Villa? Well the big story is two new books being produced to mark their 150th anniversary ….and not just “any” books.

THE ASTON VILLA ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEAR BOOK PROJECT – VOLUME ONE & VOLUME TWO

As we approach Aston Villa’s landmark anniversary, two large-format 420-page coffee table books have been produced to commemorate the occasion. Hundreds of beautiful photographs, illustrations, stories, fascinating press cuttings and precious memorabilia have been combined to make the finest quality Aston Villa books ever produced – books that will be treasured by every Villa supporter.

The first volume tells the remarkable story of Villa’s first 75 years between 1874-1949, an era when the club dominated football – the Kings of Birmingham and renowned across the globe. Unrivalled printing quality, using truly beautiful photographs and stories, this book really brings those times back to life like never before.

Colin Abbott’s long-awaited second volume moves Aston Villa’s remarkable story forward – with the ups and downs between 1950 and 2024 given the same care and attention as the first volume. Even more pin-sharp images, artefacts and stories are featured, alongside stand-out interviews with some of the players and managers that make this club so great.

FULL INFORMATION AND TO ORDER CLICK HERE

THESE STUNNING BOOKS CAN BE PURCHASED INDIVIDUALLY, OR COME BOXED WHEN BOUGHT TOGETHER, ALONG WITH A SPECIALLY COMMISSIONED LIMITED EDITION METAL BADGE – STRICTLY WHILE STOCK LASTS. PRE-ORDERS ALSO GET THEIR NAME IN THE BOOK!

GET YOUR NAME IN THE BOOK

All advanced purchasers will have their name automatically included in the fans’ roll of honour section of both books if purchased during the pre-order period before the end of September 2024. We will use the purchaser’s name from the order details. Books will be delivered early November. Names will appear in both volumes of the book. If you purchased Volume One as part of the first print run in 2020/21 and your name is included in that edition, your name will automatically also appear in the new volume/s.

FULL INFORMATION AND TO ORDER CLICK HERE

A great friend of mine, Dave Baldwin is also a huge Villa fan so it is only right I mention his art again. I have featured him on this blog several times. Here are some of his latest works. To see his entire portfolio visit his excellent website.

Villa Park

It would be equally remiss to overlook Matty’s work. He has got a great collection of Villa players too. He was first known for his work with Liverpool players but his portfolio has expanded now. See especially his Newcastle United collection. Check his website

So, the tuktuk digital tour pushes on and I have Bristol City & Rovers and Birmingham in my sights but in the meantime, kindly remember that the purpose of this 90 day challenge is to raise funds for my local club, FC Deportivo Galicia and an equal amount for Prostate Cancer. As always, I hope that you are all enjoying the tour of the UK and that you will consider a donation to support FC Deportivo Galicia and/or Prostate Cancer UK 

If everybody chipped in with just £1 I would easily hit my target of £10,000 and life would be easier in West London whilst the charity could continue their great work. A HEARTFELT thanks, if you can.

A.F.C.Bournemouth

I was looking to get to Bournemouth but by chance (or perhaps Facebook algorithms our friends at Pitch Publishing sent me details of a new book outlining their Championship Winning Season.

“Anything is Possible” is the inside story of Bournemouth’s remarkable Championship-winning season and tells how the smallest club in the division defied bookmakers, pundits and the Football League to emerge triumphant from a fiercely fought promotion contest and gate-crashed the richest league in the world.

But that is just the end of the story! Only six years earlier, the club was on the brink of liquidation following a series of financial crises and points deductions. The club took a last-ditch gamble on former player Eddie Howe. A 31-year-old former player with zero management experience. It paid dividends and some, as Howe sowed the seeds for an astonishing rise up the leagues.

The club rose from League Two to the Championship in four seasons, successes made all the more remarkable as Howe spent 20 months of that period managing Burnley.

In 2014/15, Howe eclipsed his previous successes as he led a squad described as “misfits” by captain Tommy Elphick to the Championship title in the final seconds of the season. Anything Is Possible is the quite astonishing story of how a club on the brink of extinction rose through the divisions and reached to promised land of the Premier League.

The author, Michael Dunne, is not new to the south coast and was the author of “Dean Court Days: Harry Redknapp at AFC Bournemouth.” He has written about football in the Guardian, Observer, When Saturday Comes and many other publications and websites. He has supported Bournemouth for more than 40 years and for several seasons produced and presented the All Departments podcast, which charted the Cherries’ fairy tale rise from the brink of extinction to the Premier League

I will be back tomorrow but in the meantime, kindly remember that the purpose of this 90 day challenge is to raise funds for my local club, FC Deportivo Galicia and an equal amount for Prostate Cancer. As always, I hope that you are all enjoying the tour of the UK and that you will consider a donation to support FC Deportivo Galicia and/or Prostate Cancer UK 

If everybody chipped in with just £1 I would easily hit my target of £10,000 and life would be easier in West London whilst the charity could continue their great work. A HEARTFELT thanks, if you can.

Kit Holden

After the trip to Arsenal it is back to somewhere a little close to home …not. Many of you will remember Kit Holden for “Scheisse”, his unique book about 1FC Union Berlin or was it his book about the unique Berlin side, 1FC Union Berlin? Well, the good news is that he has a new book almost at print. If it is anywhere near as good as the previous one it is going to be a belter!

“Played in Germany”: In summer 2024, the eyes of football fans worldwide will turn to Germany as it hosts the European Championship. For many, the country seems familiar territory: a footballing behemoth with clubs as famous as its beer and its cars. But, if you look closer, the beautiful game can offer a deeper understanding of Europe’s powerhouse.

Beyond the booze and the bratwurst: what football really tells us about Germany, the UEFA Euro 2024 hosts.

Played in Germany takes us on a journey through modern Germany’s football heartlands in search of the issues which define it. Through the stadiums, songs and simmering resentments of football, it sheds light on a nation so diverse and divided that the only thing which really unites it is the game itself.

The book is available to pre-order through our friends at Stanchion Books

If you missed “Scheisse! We’re going up,” here is an overview .

Journey through the European capital of cool with Scheisse!

Have you ever been to Berlin? And if so do you love it as much as we do?!? We are a bit Berlin-crazy here at Duckworth and one book that really reflects our love for the city is Scheisse! by Kit Holden

A club on the rise.
A city in flux.
This is Union Berlin.

No football club in the world has fans like 1. FC Union Berlin. The underdogs from East Berlin have stuck it to the Stasi, built their own stadium and even given blood to save their club. But now they face a new and terrifying prospect: success.

Scheisse! tells the human stories behind the unexpected rise of this unique football club. But it’s about more than just football. It’s about the city Union call home. As the club fight to maintain their rebel spirit among the modern football elite, their trajectory mirrors that of contemporary Berlin itself.

Tomorrow I am off to Bristol and a chance to visit two clubs in one day. Sounds like fun. In the meantime, kindly remember that the purpose of this 90 day challenge is to raise funds for my local club, FC Deportivo Galicia and an equal amount for Prostate Cancer. As always, I hope that you are all enjoying the tour of the UK and that you will consider a donation to support FC Deportivo Galicia and/or Prostate Cancer UK 

If everybody chipped in with just £1 I would easily hit my target of £10,000 and life would be easier in West London whilst the charity could continue their great work. A HEARTFELT thanks, if you can.

Arsenal FC

Yes, it had to happen. FC Deportivo Galicia Top Man, all round good guy BUT Arsenal fan Rogelio Loureda was aware that I would probably avoid visiting the Emirates on the tuktuk tour. He is aware that I am not universally known for my love of Arsenal, its football, fanbase, Library atmosphere or, in general, the shame the club brings on English football. People ask me what team I support and I subconsciously say, ABA. Many think it is probably some Estonian team or a 9th level Spanish village team. No. A.B.A – Anyone But Arsenal

Like so many Arsenal fans, he is still absolutely confident that the Dial Square Nomads will take the Premier League title. To cut a long story short, he made a very generous sponsorship offer to the cause if I visited the Emirates and uploaded photos of my visit in my blog. So, here they are. Proof that I have visited the home of Arsenal. You will notice the appalling weather. There was driving rain and biblical gales. The water was flooding down Highbury Hill carrying all before it. If that was a Thomas Mann novel, I would have thought it was a metaphor for the Arsenal fans having their dreams dragged away. As I am not a novelist, I will just say that the day was wet and depressing…… pretty much everything I expect about Arsenal. So, thanks for your kind donation to the cause, Roger. It is greatly appreciated.

So, there we are, I went to the Emirates and Rogelio made a donation. Please kindly remember that the purpose of this 90 day challenge is to raise funds for his (and mine!) local club, FC Deportivo Galicia and an equal amount for Prostate Cancer. As always, I hope that you are all enjoying the tour of the UK and that you will consider a donation to support FC Deportivo Galicia and/or Prostate Cancer UK 
If everybody chipped in with just £1 I would easily hit my target of £10,000 and life would be easier in West London whilst the charity could continue their great work. A HEARTFELT thanks, if you can.

The Way We Were …..

No, not the Barbara Streisand/Kris Kristofferson film soundtrack but, yes, a similar era. I was looking at a Blackpool programme from 1968 yesterday which had the marvellous Football Review inside. How I miss those days!

Anyway, there was a little quiz asking readers to name the kits. Just look how “plain” they are in those days. No logos, no crests, no betting companies ……no nothing! No fluorescent lime boots, no square metres of tattoos and not an agent or VAR in sight.

Just for fun, can you recognise these kits? A couple of hints No.2 is NOT Manchester United and No.3 is NOT Gillingham nor Chelsea nor Everton. No.4 is not Leeds United. I would be impressed if you got all four and even more impressed if you named the players.

Whilst talking about kits, I got an email from Brentford FC with an interesting twist on the “retro” trend.

Brentford and Bees United have created a version of the club’s first-ever striped shirt, worn in the 1890s.

The shirt, which has the same claret and blue colours from 1889, is now available for fans to purchase. It features a club crest that was in use during the 1893/94 season.

This release follows the launch of Brentford FC and Bees United’s 1889 heritage shirt, a version of the club’s first-ever playing kit, made available in March.

The shirt, which has the same claret and blue colours from 1889, is now available for fans to purchase. It features a club crest that was in use during the 1893/94 season.

This release follows the launch of Brentford FC and Bees United’s 1889 heritage shirt, a version of the club’s first-ever playing kit, made available in March.

This second heritage shirt marks the club’s shift from solid claret to claret and blue stripes in the 1890s.

While the reasons for Brentford’s choice of design are not known, stripes were only made possible in the late 1880s thanks to new technology and textile capability. Hoops had been commonplace, but stripes were brand new.

Mundial

Mundial Magazine

“It’s taken us 29 issues and nearly a decade to dedicate an entire magazine to kits, but some things are worth the wait.”

ISSUE 29: THE KITS SPECIAL

Mad really that it’s taken us 29 issues and nearly a decade to dedicate an entire issue to kits, but some things are worth the wait.

We asked our favourite people, from Adam Devonshire to Jackson Irvine to Lee Trundle, to tell us all about the kits that meant the most to them. A smorgasbord of shirts, ready for you to devour.

Wimbledon founder Marc Jones took us into his laboratory to show us what it really took to design those Wimbledon beauties that had social media on fire.

There’s a dispatch from an undercover kit baron, a man who’s been trafficking fake shirts across borders, from Turin to Berlin to New Jersey.

You’ll also find Émile-Samory Fofana’s latest additions from his Champions League Koulikoro project from the frontlines in Mali.”

Sounds Great! As followers of The Shirt know, the project was started by Bjørn Heidenstrøm way back in 2009. A whole project was launched around that thing of beauty known as the football shirt. So, yes, we both still love the grounds, the stadiums and everything else that football is known for but “The Shirt” is clearly at the very centre of the project.

What has Mundial delivered this edition?

Longform? This is where the big bits go. Inside, you’ll find an Owen Blackhurst odyssey around the Netherlands to explore Ruud Gullit’s legacy, an undercover story from a fake shirt seller, James Bird tracing the history of the world’s first gay football team through their kits, and you’ll find 20 pages of people we love—from Charlie Cooper to Lee Trundle to Flo Lloyd-Hughes to Cold War Steve—telling us about their favourite football shirts.

….and let’s see what magCulture has to say,

Mundial #29

190 x 260 mm, 98 pages

London, UK

Quarterly

First published 2014

Editor-in-chief: Dan Sandison

Art director: Alex Mertekis

Our favourite football mag, back on the magCulture shelves! Having resigned themselves to a digital-only future as the pandemic struck, the Mundial team was taken over by online publisher Footballco in 2022 with the express aim of relaunching the print edition. This is their eighth issue since the relaunch last summer, and it’s the Kits Special!

On the cover, it’s the odyssey of Ruud Gullit, orange-clad football hero from the Netherlands. Then, find a retrospective on Hackney Women’s FC – the first openly gay club in Europe – a photo-essay of kits on the frontlines, confessions of a bootleg shirt baron, and much more. 

On the Journal:
At work with editor Dan Sandison as they plot their return, ‘We’d had quite a few offers from weird and wonderful organisations to buy us out over the years, and we’d pretty consistently turned them down. This felt different though, they were publishers and football people. We got on.
‘Fast forward six months and we are working on a magazine for the first time in about three year…. It’s been a long time in the making, and we are all made up to be back.’
READ MORE

So, time to shoot to Mundial and buy the quarterly magazine.