Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

I can’t claim to be a huge fan of FIFA or Fédération Internationale de Football Association to give it its full title. The utterly worthless FIFA “Peace Prize” that its president, Giovanni Vincenzo Infantino, presented to Donald Trump was probably the last straw for me. The FIFA World Cup is scheduled to be played in Canada, Mexico and the USA this summer and Infantino is just the licking sycophant that Trump loves. Will the tournament go ahead? Will some games be switched from the USA to Canada, Mexico, Denmark or Greenland? Will the teams who have qualified be allowed to bypass Trump’s visa quirks? Will these teams’ fans be allowed to enter the USA? Bottom line will this be Trump’s Berlin 36?

Let’s not forget what Infantino did to deserve a Foot in the Mouth Award. His was awarded for “his justification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup being held in Qatar despite concerns over the country’s human rights record: ‘Today I have very strong feelings. Today, I feel Qatari. Today, I feel Arab. Today, I feel African. Today, I feel gay. Today, I feel disabled. Today, I feel a migrant worker. I feel all this because what I have been seeing and what I have been told, since I don’t read, otherwise I will be depressed.'” It might also mention what Trump says about his co-hosts, the Mexican people , (“They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”) What could possibly go wrong?

I was just musing all this and the debacle that I fear the World Cup will be when my inbox pinged. It was Clare McEwen, my expert on all things women’s football with a list of FIFA failings. I have to admit not to knowing all of these and thought they needed more eyeballs. Don’t expect to be impressed…..I wasn’t!

“1971

Trying to stop the 1971 unofficial Mexico World Cup (Copa ’71). Since Fifa weren’t interested in anything other than stopping women’s football, a group of Italian businessmen had been successfully setting up women’s international tournaments for several years.

None were more successful than Copa ’71 when 110,000 people packed into the Azteca stadium to watch the final.

But if Fifa had had their way, this historic event would never have happened. They tried to ban it.

1991

Having reluctantly organised a successful World Cup test event in 1988, Fifa announced their Women’s World Cup would begin in 1991.

But they still didn’t trust it would be a success so didn’t use their “World Cup” brand to name it; just in case it devalued it. Instead it was known by the catchy name “1st FIFA World Championship for Women’s Football for the M&M’s Cup”.

They only called it the Fifa Women’s World Cup when they decided it wouldn’t cost them anything and could make them money.

1999

In 1999, Fifa tried to persuade the U.S. to hold their World Cup matches in smaller, local stadiums rather than their giant American football stadiums.

They didn’t believe the women could fill the stadiums so told the local organisers they would only take responsibility for filling smaller stadiums. If the U.S. organisers wanted to use big stadiums, they had to take on the risk themselves. Presumably that meant Fifa would only cover costs for smaller venues.

The U.S. organisers and the U.S. team backed themselves and successfully filled massive stadiums. The final was played at the enormous Rose Bowl in Pasadena and 90,000 people watched it.

2015

Canada hosted the 2015 Fifa World Cup amid controversy: the matches were all played on artificial grass, a surface that would never be used for a men’s World Cup.

The players believed the surfaces would lead to higher injury risks and a group of them filed a lawsuit against it.

They noted that men wouldn’t play on the pitches, so why choose it for a women’s World Cup. They called out the discrimination.

They cited the precedent when in 1994, for the U.S. men’s World Cup, Fifa spent $2 million planting actual grass over artificial grass in some stadiums.

Fifa made it clear that there was no plan B and artificial pitches were all they had. The competition was played – for the only time – on artificial grass.

2019

**Fifa introduced new penalty laws for the 2019 World Cup, showing some more discrimination. Laws of the Game don’t normally get changed for major tournaments, instead they’re tested in smaller events. Fifa were suggesting the Women’s World Cup could be the guinea pig. Not cool, Fifa, not cool.**”

If you want to read about the good, bad and ugly of women’s football, then don’t forget to get her latest book, She Can Kick It. I have no doubt we will be talking more about this tournament but I cant claim to hold high hopes.

It’s the first fair of 2026 and I am sure it will be a BIG one!

This coming Sunday 1st February 2026 it’s the first West London Football Programme and Badge Fair of 2026. Everyone welcome and there will programmes, badges, shirts, tickets, cards, books, magazines and much more. I know Les Easterbrook will be there with a big range of badges and that Mark Barnes has an ever growing selection of shirts and memorabilia.

I won’t be exhibiting but I will be buying aggressively to finish this 50 year collection
www.TheShirt2010.co.uk/uncategorized/o-m Can you help? Someone MUST have a Millwall 2014/15 and 2010/11. Pretty please!

I should also mention that my entire collection is up for sale. Please see here

Programmes required

Aldershot	13/14 , 04/05 96/97
Barnsley	13/14
Birmingham	14/15 13/14 12/13 08/09
Blackburn	16/17 15/16
Blackpool	None required
Bolton	None required
Bournemouth	14/15 13/14 11/12 08/09 07/08 01/02
Bradford C	16/17 15/16 12/13 11/12
Brighton	13/14 03/04
Bristol C	16/17
Bristol R	15/16 09/10 98/99
Bury	16/17 14/15 07/08 06/07 04/05 02/03 94/95 92/93
Cambridge U	16/17 14/15 12/13 03/04 69/70 68/69
Cardiff	16/17 15/16
Carlisle	15/16 14/15 05/06
Chester	16/17 12/13 11/12 06/07 96/97
Chesterfield	15/16
Colchester	11/12 10/11 09/10 91/92 85/86 82/83
Coventry	13/14 10/11
Derby County	81/82 (matchday newspaper)
Doncaster Rovers	13/14 01/02 89/90
Everton	16/17 , 13/14, 09/10
Exeter	16/17 15/16 14/15 12/13 10/11 09/10 08/09 02/03 74/75
Grimsby	16/17 13/14 11/12 10/11 08/09 07/08 03/04 00/01
Halifax	16/17 15/16 14/15 13/14 12/13 11/12 09/10 08/09 04/05 95/96 94/95 72/73 70/71
Hartlepool	16/17 15/16 14/15 13/14 11/12 09/10 06/07 05/06 02/03 01/02 94/95 69/70
Huddersfield	15/16
Hull	14/15 01/02
Leeds	16/17 14/15 11/12
Leicester City	15/16 10/11 09/10
Leyton Orient	15/16 99/00
Lincoln	16/17 14/15 13/14 12/13 01/02 95/96
Luton	16/17 15/16 14/15 13/14 12/13 11/12 04/05
Mansfield	16/17 15/16 13/14 12/13 10/11 07/08 72/73
Millwall	14/15 10/11
Newport Co	13/14 12/13 07/08 06/07 04/05 99/00 98/99 96/97 94/95 93/94 92/93 91/92 90/91 89/90 88/89
Norwich	10/11 69/70
Nottingham F	None Required
Notts Co	16/17 10/11 09/10 76/77
Oldham	10/11 72/73
Oxford U	16/17 14/15 13/14 06/07
Peterborough	16/17 09/10 98/99
Plymouth	16/17 14/15 13/14 11/12 10/11 09/10
Portsmouth	16/17 11/12
Preston	None Required
Reading	none required
Rochdale	10/11 08/09 07/08 74/75
Rotherham	16/17 15/16 14/15 11/12 10/11 87/88 71/72
Scunthorpe	12/13 05/06 04/05
Shrewsbury	16/17 10/11 71/72
Southend	14/15 09/10 04/05 96/97
Swansea	05/06 03/04 00/01 94/95 76/77 73/74
Torquay	16/17 15/16 14/15 13/14 12/13 11/12 10/11 06/07
Tranmere	16/17 14/15 11/12
Wrexham	16/17 15/16 07/08 06/07 71/72
Accrington	08/09 87/88 85/86 82/83 81/82 80/81 79/80 78/79 77/78 76/77 75/76 74/75 73/74 72/73 71/72 70/71 69/70 68/69 67/68
Burton	16/17 15/16 13/14 12/13 07/08 00/01 99/00 98/99 80/81 78/79 76/77 73/74 72/73 71/72 70/71 69/70 68/69 67/68
Cheltenham	16/17 14/15 11/12 10/11 08/09 05/06 01/02 95/96 94/95 93/94 92/93 91/92 86/87 84/85 82/83 81/82 80/81 79/80 78/79 77/78 76/77 75/76 74/75 73/74 72/73 71/72 70/71 69/70 68/69 67/68
Crawley	15/16 06/07 04/05 03/04 01/02 97/98 90/91 89/90 88/89 87/88 86/87 85/86 84/85 83/84 82/83 81/82 77/78 76/77 75/76 74/75 73/74 71/72 70/71 69/70 68/69 67/68
Dag & Red	07/08 06/07 75/76 71/72 68/69
Fleetwood	11/12 08/09 07/08 06/07 05/06 04/05 03/04 02/03 01/02 00/01 99/00 98/99 97/98 96/97 95/96 94/95 93/94 92/93 91/92 90/91 88/89 87/88 86/87 85/86 84/85 83/84 82/83 81/82 80/81 79/80 78/79 77/78 76/77 75/76 74/75 73/74 72/73 71/72 70/71 69/70 68/69 67/68
MK Dons	11/12 10/11 06/07 03/04 02/03 01/02 00/01 99/00 98/99 97/98 96/97 95/96 94/95 93/94 92/93 91/92 90/91 89/90 88/89 87/88 86/87 85/86 84/85 83/84 82/83 81/82 80/81 79/80 78/79 77/78 76/77 75/76 74/75 73/74 72/73 71/72 70/71 68/69 67/68
Morecambe	08/09 07/08 04/05 01/02 00/01 99/00 98/99 96/97 95/96 94/95 92/93 91/92 90/91 88/89 87/88 84/85 83/84 82/83 81/82 80/81 79/80 76/77 75/76 74/75 73/74 72/73 71/72 70/71 69/70 68/69 67/68
Scarborough	16/17 15/16 14/15 13/14 12/13 11/12 10/11 09/10 08/09 07/08 04/05 00/01 99/00 81/82 80/81 74/75 72/73 71/72 70/71 69/70 67/68
Stevenage	16/17 15/16 11/12 06/07 03/04 93/94 92/93 91/92 90/91 89/90 87/88 86/87 85/86 84/85 83/84 81/82 80/81 79/80 78/79 77/78 76/77 75/76 74/75 73/74 72/73 71/72 70/71 69/70 68/69 67/68
Wigan Athletic	14/15 92/93 91/92 76/77 75/76 74/75 73/74 72/73 71/72 70/71 69/70 68/69 67/68
Wycombe	16/17 15/16 09/10 84/85 78/79 77/78
Yeovil Town	16/17 15/16 09/10 84/85 78/79
AS AT 28/01/2026

Just a few What’s Ons for the diary

Kettering Town – remember it is their big 50th Anniversary event

See more here

Despite the very best efforts of the Football Association to devalue the FA Cup, it still has some appeal.

A few clubs had very special weekends to prove there is the legendary “Magic of the Cup.” Obviously, the biggest congratulations must go to Macclesfield who beat last season’s cup holders, Crystal Palace, fair and square at the Moss Rose. Respect also to Palace for the way they took defeat and for handing over their share of the gate to the Non-League Club. #respect

Manchester United were well beaten at home by Brighton & Hove Albion whilst Manchester City put ten past Exeter City who took an impressive 7,000 to the Etihad. QPR took 10,000 across London to the London Stadium where the Hammers scraped home 2-1. It might save Nuno for a few more days but it was not impressive. Spurs (see below) were beaten at home by a strong Villa side who seemed to have the tactics spot on. Difficult days for Thomas Frank.

Other things of note: both Southampton (3-2 winners at Doncaster) and Spurs wore one-off special shirts. Spurs was a rather tenuous link to whilst Southampton was the 50th anniversary of the 1976 FA Cup Final win against Tommy Docherty’s Manchester United. Southampton were a second division side managed by Lawrie McMenemy and were the underdogs. A late winner by Bobby Stokes sealed a tight 1-0 victory. My childhood hero, David Peach was Number 3 for the Saints. The shirt is available from the official Southampton FC website

Tottenham launched a campaign to pay homage to their 1901 FA Cup-winning team to mark the 125th anniversary of the historic achievement.

By winning the world’s oldest football cup competition, Spurs became the first and remain the only non-league team to lift the trophy.

The club played in the Southern League Division One at the time, but against the odds, on 27 April 1901, they overcame top-flight Sheffield United 3-1 in the FA Cup final replay at Burnden Park in Bolton.

On Friday, Spurs launched a campaign to celebrate what is described as a “ground-breaking” historic achievement and hope to educate younger generations on the “significance” of that win.

Full story on the official club website. Sadly, the shirts sold out immediately but are available all over eBay etc for £300 ….presumably from grifters who spend their lives complaining about fans being taken advantage of.

I have mentioned Kettering Town several times in the past. Most football fans can remember the whole Kettering Tyres story. It was a pleasure therefore to hear of the activities around a forthcoming league match when many of the Legends of that era will come together……..and there is an exciting shirt side-story (see below.)

The story so far – click here

BUT

On January 17th there will be a very special reunion of the legends of the 70s. Paula Conde-Sharpe sent me this,

“The 50th celebrations are going to be epic. We have 7 of the original players from that legendary team attending the celebrations as our guests in Hospitality. I think that’s pretty incredible!!! They are in their late 70’s and 80’s My dad is one of them!! Kettering Town are just outside the playoffs in the Southern League Premier Central so three points will make it a great day.

This is an exclusive opportunity to experience the club1872 Hospitality Suite alongside true Kettering Town legends, including six of the original 1976 players who proudly wore the pioneering Kettering Tyres shirt, joined by other iconic figures from Kettering and the wider footballing world.

The day begins at 12 noon with engaging talks from our special guests, followed by a two-course meal and a complimentary drink. You’ll also have the chance to meet the manager and players, all of whom will be wearing the iconic Kettering Tyres kit, making this a truly unforgettable celebration of the club’s heritage.

This is a landmark occasion and a historic day of celebration not to be missed.

Places are strictly limited and can be booked via Fanbase accessed via www.ketteringtownfc.com.

Book now to secure your seat and avoid disappointment.
Here’s the schedule

NOTE: The legends are going to be wearing a replica shirt with their name and number on which they will sign and we will auction post match.

They are doing a retro cover programme for the day like the old style. They are going to put the shirts to be auctioned on the FB page ahead of 17th as well for bids

The Complete Non-League Groundhopper’s Guide

Well, where do I start?
Amorim…Gone
Nancy…Gone
Marseca…Gone
Moore …Gone

The merry-go-round keeps going round. Port Vale’s league position and Celtic’s form perhaps mean that the departures were inevitable. The situations at Chelsea and Manchester United are far more intriguing.
Just hearing that a certain José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix AKA “The Special One” is interested in the Chelsea role. Yo-Yo …….. but NOBODY has EVER brought them more success! What about Ole Gunnar Solskjær to United? I’d be very happy with either returning to Old Trafford!

All good banter but in the real world both my games were off this weekend. Holmer Green and Meadow Lane Notts County are grounds I have been to before so no ticks but this is a very worthwhile addition to any groundhopper’s library. (See below for my own personal January offer)

Let’s look at “The Complete Non-League Groundhopper’s Guide “

Join Alan Burge on this odyssey of exploration around some of football’s lesser-known – but by no means less remarkable or significant – football grounds.

No breeze block and plastic identikit stadia here, just unique and inspiringly creative incarnations and interpretations of the humble host of the truly beautiful game.

Superbly complemented by Alan’s unique diary entries, explore weird and wonderful structures, the meeting of old and new and the unashamed collaboration with their natural habitat.

You’ll never share the away end at The Emirates with a tree, or the Anfield Kop with a replica shirt-wearing Great Dane, but they can be found right here – along with hundreds of other equally enchanting and evocative images, in The Complete Non-League Groundhopper’s Guide.

Available at Amazon in paperback: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FCY35YXD

…or Kindle: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FCSK2F48

Or, save £2 when you buy from the Victor Publishing online store: https://www.victorpublishing.co.uk/47qr

….and, finally, don’t forget I am selling my entire football book and programme collection. See here

….and we all now look forward to the New Year’s Fixtures. Hope everyone had a good one! It seems there was a lot of hot air spoken about Boxing Day or not-Boxing Day fixtures. Some are forgetting that there has long been changes over the Christmas period and others still remember the days of matches on Christmas Day! Seems a long time ago BUT on the human timeline only very recent (1965 in England and 1976 in Scotland) I note that the people who normally scream about the lack of Saturday fixtures are the same ones screaming about the abundance of Premier League fixtures on the 27th! Nine tenths of me say they haven’t been to a game in real life since the Seventies anyway! For those genuinely missing a PL game on Boxing Day, there were a lot of games in the lower divisions without the same number of prime donne! MANY seem to hark back until 1963 …which was two months before my first ever Gillingham game!

Anyway, one thing I did remember to add was the launch of a retro shout by Copa for Port Vale.
The Stoke-based club returned to the second tier in 1989 after 33 years, beginning a proud new chapter in the club’s history. The early 1990s brought fresh faces and memorable occasions that supporters still cherish.
 
The 1991 – 92 season saw the arrival of record signing Martin Foyle, who wasted no time in making his mark, netting 16 goals in his debut campaign and laying the foundations for a career that would cement his status as a Port Vale legend. Alongside him came Dutch midfielder Robin van der Laan, whose energy, determination and eye for goal made him a popular figure with the Vale faithful and a key part of John Rudge’s side.

A standout moment arrived in the League Cup, when the Valiants produced an excellent 2–2 draw at Anfield against Liverpool. That performance captured the spirit of the team and gave supporters a night to remember on one of football’s biggest stages.


The iconic shirts are available here
 

Happy New Year

I think my collection of sports’ books is now just over 1,000. On that basis it is fair to guess that I have read “a few” but I must say I came across a most interesting book over the holidays. Look, how many autobiographies of “legends” can one read? How many ways can they regurgitate, “The Title Season?”
You know there are going to be a bucket full of cliches about taking each game as it came, “sometimes we had to win it ‘ugly’, long winters, disappointment with penalty decisions etc etc etc

Occasionally, just occasionally, a book comes across my desk that it is totally different. Excellent. Even more excellent (English?) is when it is about something I genuinely knew absolutely sweet nothing. Take a bow Ashley Ball and Chris Brook ….

A book charting the life and career of a footballing super scout who discovered 114 players including a World Cup winner and FA Cup Final heroes is now available to buy.

Feeding The Wolves tells the remarkable story of Mark Crook, a Yorkshire-based talent finder who ran a pioneering feeder team for Wolves.

Crook, a one-time Wolves player, unearthed the likes of England World Cup winning star Ron Flowers, England internationals Terry Cooper and Cyril Knowles and Wembley FA Cup winning heroes in George Robledo and Alan Sunderland.

From setting up the team in 1938 to his death in 1977, Crook sent player after player to Molineux.

The book, written by Barnsley Chronicle journalist Ashley Ball, aims to tell the whole story of what was a groundbreaking idea.

Ashley said: “Mark’s story was in danger of being forgotten but through a lot of research and interviews it’s now, thankfully, been preserved and told in full.

“What struck me through the course of interviewing many of the former players is that their lives were completely altered by Crook’s intervention.

“A small thing like a scout believing in your potential completely changed the lives of all these men.

“Alan Sunderland and Bob Hatton in particular admit that Crook’s faith in them propelled them into football and ultimately changed the course of their lives forever.”

The book contains more than 50 interviews and has a foreword written by Mick McCarthy.

Mick said: “Anybody can tell you who the best player is. That’s easy.

It is sometimes the player who you don’t notice that you need because he allows the other players to do their jobs.

Those clubs who are spending money now can rely on data but that was not always there.

Getting recruitment right can be the difference between a good season and a bad one.

To think Wolves could rely on somebody like Mark Crook for more than 30 years is incredible.”

Profits from the book are heading to the Wolves Foundation and Brampton United FC who play on the same pitches that Mark’s Wolves Juniors team did in South Yorkshire.

To order a book, visit: tinyurl.com/crookwwfc

As many of you know, I have decided that now is the time to sell up, so if you are interested in 1000 books and 20,000 programmes, please take a look here

OK, I give in. It is indeed “almost” that time of year. ALMOST. It has been a strange month. FC Deportivo Galicia have played on ONE Saturday in the last five but are now undefeated in two games which is a massive improvement from the start of the season, Gillingham have now slipped far from the automatic promotion places and whilst having the best player in League 2 (Dack) have fallen into mid table. The only good news on the football front is that Arsenal are predictably imploding. They are still not mathematically safe from relegation and already their long-suffering supporters are muttering “next season, Europe, saving ourselves for the cups etc.”

Always nice to hear from regular contributors and Darren “You had only one Job” Ashley has been very busy with visits to Brackley in the FA Cup, being featured on and “…delighted to have met one of the biggest names in non league today….which is something Dorking Wanderers boss Marc White didn’t say after I interviewed him a couple of times this afternoon.

Seriously, Marc was great fun, lived up to what i thought he would be, and, he didn’t let me down by dropping in a couple of F-bombs.”

His fame has now spread to Scotland as he humbly told me, “……..you know not a lot has happened sporting wise in the Border TV area when they ask me could they feature the goals I filmed on Saturday for their local evening news segment. It was even their first item, ahead of some rugby and Queen of the South FC.”


As always, his videos are here on YT

Marc White with Darren – which one is the legend?

Meanwhile Clare McEwen of “She Can Kick It” fame sent me her Christmas (oops, mentioned that word!) Newsletter. Very interesting it is too.

“Hey Steve,

How’s it going? Are you ready for the festive period?

I’m ready but haven’t been feeling very Christmassy. Bizarrely, The Sound of Football Podcast has got me feeling as festive as anything else has so far this December – I think it’s the gentle shimmering of bells that’s done it!

Every year they do an advent calendar special episode where they open doors and talk about what’s behind them. This year I was honoured to be asked on to open doors 8 and 9 of the calendar. You can find it here and I open my doors on women’s football between 20-33 minutes.

Have a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays and I’ll see you in the New Year.

Now

It would be rude not to do a little look back on 2025’s football at the end of the year, so here are some Euro 2025 stats to remind us how big women’s football has recently become.

Switzerland’s Euro 2025 had a record-breaking attendance. Over 650,000 fans went to games, despite it being an expensive country.

The average attendance for each match was over 20,000 – the first time that’s happened. And the highest attendance ever for a women’s match in Switzerland was recorded with 34,165 fans watching Germany vs Denmark.

It had the most goals in a women’s Euros tournament with 106 – most of which were England coming back from giving the opposition a head start 😉

England had the record for most different goal scorers, both within a match (6 v Wales) and across the tournament (11 different scorers).

Worldwide, TV and streaming reached 500 million+ global viewers.

Then

The Euro attendance figures were amazing but it’s not the first time women have attracted huge crowds of fans.

On Boxing Day 1920, Everton’s Goodison Park ground hosted a match between Dick, Kerr Ladies and St Helen’s Ladies. The official attendance was around 53,000 and there were reports of 10,000-15,000 more outside the ground who couldn’t get in.

The attendance was comparable to men’s games, which helped lead to The FA banning women from playing. At that point, women’s football was as popular and commercially viable as men’s football.

It’s taken over a 100 years to get close to that again and we’re still a long way off.

The outcome of that match was a 4-0 win to Dick, Kerr Ladies. The attendance success helped lead to their downfall.

Hopefully next year brings more excitement, drama, and progress for women’s sport.

Have a wonderful festive season and I’ll be back in 2026.

Clare x “

What a great last minute Christmas Present ……says the guy who hasn’t bought one yet!

A quick What’s On for anybody in the North West this week – just off the A56

Details from Andrew Bowler

The Weird & Wonderful World of Motherwell Football Collectables Vol.2

dosserdom

101 Motherwell Must Haves (and more you didn’t know you wanted)

The magical world of Motherwell football collectables was showcased in the release of Vol.1 three whole years ago. At the end of the process it was decided there was far too much to feature in just one volume so another was commissioned. That project has now been finalised and Vol.2 has now hit the shelves.  

Editor Matt Johnstone has compiled another blockbuster book filled with all manner of Motherwell related goodies to suit all ages and tastes so whether your souvenir hunting begins and ends with a matchday programme or if you are a collector of all things ‘Weird & Wonderful’ you’re sure to find something here to whet your appetite.

Get your copy on BigCartel