Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Sadly Gillingham’s season goes from bad to worse. This Saturday it was the turn of Notts County to take all three points. Incredibly when we won at Meadow Lane in October, we were top of the table! Automatic promotion is now almost definitely out of the question, the play-offs look like a dream and relegation a distinct possibility! A season that started with such promise is turning into a living nightmare.
Fortunately, all was not lost as FC Deportivo Galicia got a last minute goal against a Bedstone team who had controlled much of the previous 90 minutes. Football, what’s not to love?

Yesterday was the bi-monthly programme fair which as usual was a very interesting and professional affair. Today the organiser, Barry Dixey mailed me, “Announcing a SOUTH LONDON Programme and Memorabilia Fair at TOOTING & MITCHAM FC on SUNDAY, 4th MAY 2025.

Please email me at barry@dixey.net if you are interested in having a stall at the fair. I announced this event at the West London Fair yesterday and several dealers have already expressed an interest in attending.

Tooting & Mitcham FC are running an exhibition in an adjacent part of the clubhouse and it has the potential of being an excellent day with lots of dealers attending covering all aspects of football memorabilia including programmes, tickets, badges, shirts, cards & stickers, shirts, books, autographs, photos and lots more.”

This is a great venue and will give Barry and his team room to expand. It’s in my diary. The next West London event is 6th April. Again if you want details of a stand, Barry will advise.

Talking about programmes, I am making huge progress with O-M on his major project to collect one programme per club per season going back to 1968! If you can help him fill the gaps he will be delighted to swap for Finnish programmes or maybe we can do a three-way as I have 20,000+ programmes I am slowly reducing. “Slowly reducing” is probably politicians’ speak as it really means and the number of duplicates is increasing exponentially!

Have a look at O-M’s project and shout out if you can help. A couple of clubs we are struggling with are Salford and Fleetwood so I was delighted to pick up a 1969 Fleetwood home programme at the fair yesterday….a real needle in the haystack so thanks to Steve Harding at FPC who had a very impressive display of big match programmes. Shout if you want his details.

Rude not to note that the QPR Fair is fast approaching (below). I fear my bank manager will not be happy – four fairs in four months!

Every fan knows that Kettering Town were the first ever club in England to wear shirt sponsorship, that “The Doug” was in charge at the time and that the FA fined them. (What a far-sighted organisation they have always been. NOT! Think European football, the women’s game etc etc) Wikipedia says neutrally, “Dougan negotiated a four-figure shirt sponsorship with Kettering Tyres, which was the first such deal in England. After its use in the Southern League Premier Division match against Bath City on 24 January 1976 the FA demanded that the club remove the sponsor’s logo threatening a fine of £1000, and were not impressed when Dougan initially attempted to circumvent the FA’s demands by shortening the branding ‘Kettering Tyres’ to simply ‘Kettering T’. The logo was removed, though in June 1977 the FA decreed that a 2.5 square inch logo would be permitted in the future provided it was not “detrimental to the image of the game.” Fifty years later shirt sponsorship is an integral part of the game with even the most modest U7s proudly wearing the logo/name of their local fast food shop or local driving school. In fact on the 40th anniversary the club even brought out a commemorative issue. Nice marketing!

40th Anniversary Shirt

Darren – Ready for Action

Anyway, our intrepid traveller, Darren Ashley was at Kettering this week and tried something new. See if you enjoy his report as much as he did making it!

Here is his YouTube He reminds me that he is always looking for more non-league clubs to visit so if you want to get some excellent free spotlighting for your Step 3 to 6 club, do get in touch with him.

Photos: By unknown – https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=67952556

FOR THE LOVE OF DARLO

My Life and Fifty Years Supporting Darlington FC

By Paul Hodgson

For the Love of Darlo is the inspirational autobiography of multi-award-winning writer and Darlington FC devotee Paul Hodgson, who overcame severe disability to achieve his ambitions.

When Paul was seven months old, he was struck down by meningitis and left severely disabled. On being sent to boarding school in 1973, he had almost no speech, had to be propped up and could neither dress nor feed himself. But by the time he left, he could sit up unaided and talk, albeit with a stammer, and also feed himself. Paul praises the staff who helped him, but sadly, there were bad experiences with other staff members, which Paul reveals in the book.

Before he started at boarding school, Paul’s mum surprised him by taking him to see Darlington FC. It was a watershed moment. He became a fan for life.

As well as charting his 50 years as a Darlo fan, Paul’s story offers a unique insight into what it was like to grow up in a ‘special school’ in the unenlightened 1970s. It’s a tale of triumph over extreme adversity.

Read and find out about:

• Paul’s first Darlington match, which made him an instant fan
• How Paul and his friend Malcolm (not his real name) attempted to run away from the ‘special’ boarding school they were both in
• Paul’s reminiscences of playing in his first-ever football match when he played in goal for his school in his wheelchair! Not surprisingly, they were thrashed 26-0 by a local comprehensive-school team
• Paul’s difficult relationship with his father – told in vivid detail
• The support Paul received from his mother, whom he speaks very fondly of
• Paul’s time as a volunteer working for Darlington Supporters Club after leaving school – he shares his fond memories

Paul started his writing career in the 1990s and published his first book, Flipper’s Side, in 2000. He released his second, When Push Comes To Shove, charting the highs and lows of supporting Darlington FC over two seasons, in 2003. He wrote the feature script for Give Them Wings in 2015, an adaptation of Flipper’s Side that stars Toyah Willcox (as Paul’s mother), Coronation Street star Bill Fellows (as Paul’s dad), Daniel Watson (as Paul) and Jacob Anderton as Ian Carter, who appears throughout Paul’s last book, Give Them Wings, which was released in 2021.  In 2022, Paul released One Hundred of the Best, which details his 100 favourite Darlington games.

THE BOOK IS AVAILABLE FROM OUR FRIENDS AT PITCH PUBLISHING.

Hardcover: 224 pages     Publisher: Pitch Publishing Ltd (5 August 2024)

ISBN-10: ‎ 1801507449   ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1801507448   RRP: £18.99

It’s always a pleasure to get updates from previous contributors especially with newsy emails.

Today Clare McEwen , the author of “She Can Kick It” kindly sent me her updates. She says,

“Books sales have been slow in January. Maybe I was hoping that somehow, magically, the world would find my book instantly. Unfortunately, I now have the self-published author’s next job, promoting the book. Social media is frustrating, finding accurate email addresses to send press releases to is frustrating. 

But podcasts are wonderful and I’m so grateful to those who have asked me to go on. This week I recorded an episode for the Daily Women’s Football Beyond the Pitch podcast which will probably be out some time next week. Catherine and I talked about the book and Manchester United. 

I’m also grateful to everyone who has bought my book so far – thank you. If you have 5 minutes, please could you write it a quick review on Amazon.”

Who is Clare? She reminds us, “Football fever led me, inevitably, to collecting football cards/stickers as a child. The most memorable for me, was the Football Superstars collection from Panini. Released in 1984, they included the best international footballers in the world: presented as full international teams plus  a selection of ‘All Stars’.  The cards were clear plastic/acetate with the players printed on. The packets also had a scratch card football game in them.  They were super cool and still give me chills now when I see them on eBay. I had a full collection but I’ve no idea where it went! Do you remember them? Let me know (claremcewen@gmail.com). 

P.S. The mobile version of the ZX Spectrum Football Manager is excellent.”

On more general terms about Women’s Football she says, “Canada’s first professional league, The Northern Super League (NSL) is due to start in Canada on the 16th April 2025. It’s Canada’s first professional women’s league. Up until now, Canadian players have had to find their league football outside the country, many in the U.S.

But in a few months time, AFC Toronto, Montreal Roses FC, Vancouver Rise FC, Calgary Wild FC, Halifax Tides FC, and Ottawa Rapids FC will make history as the first professional Canadian teams. 

Despite not having a professional league, being in the shadow of the U.S. women, and historically getting little support from their federation, Canada’s national team have been consistently successful in the Olympics. They won bronze medals in 2012 and 2016, followed by gold in Tokyo in 2020.

Canada’s first unofficial national team began in 1971. By 1976 there were so many girls wanting to play that an all-girls tournament was set up in Western Canada. Leagues and regional club championships formed and grew. 

In 1982, Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) officially recognised women’s football for the first time and in 1986 the first official national team began, But, the CSA had no interest in it and actually told their head coach that if they lost both of their first two games (against the U.S.) that the programme would be stopped. They lost the first game, but fought to win the second, saving their national team.”

Meanwhile Darren Ashley was out and about again. This week takes him to Beaconsfield which is one of my favourite grounds. It was his first visit and he was suitably impressed. You can see the game and his thoughts here

Whilst I suppose I am more well-known for books, I have a reasonable football programme collection. Obviously the biggest single section is Gillingham with 2000+ programmes dating back to the 1950s but I have probably another 20,000 that is in a constant state of flux. Shall I sell, shall I build, shall I …?

Over the years I have met many of the big players in this marketplace. One of the most respected members of the programme community is Paul Johnson from just outside Hull who owns East Yorkshire Programmes.

He has a great New Year offer that I thought I should spotlight

He says, “l am offering 4,000 Football Programmes including Finals, Semi-finals, Charity Shield, Internationals and other Big Match programmes together with General League, Non-League, Reserves, Teamsheets and many others from 1955 to date.

Also included is:
Every Chelsea Official Magazine from issue 1 through to about 176
A box of Hull City official magazines,
A box of mixed football magazines,
A Fruit box of various football books and a small box of Sports books,
3 Sticker albums (incomplete),
2 Very Large PSV and Ajax Pennants and also a few other bits added.

£400 collection from just outside Hull or maybe can deliver if not too far at cost.”

You can contact Paul via me or email PaulJohnson1996(at)btinternet.com

That looks a very fair price. I have bought from Paul to help O-M and always found him a genuine trader.

Talking about O-M , we have updated the wants (=needs!) list so if you have any programmes from 1967/8-2017 please do get in touch.

Yes, it’s that time of the year again. It is now the “let’s hope it is next season” greeting to fans of so many clubs. Tragically Gillingham’s early season successes look like another false dawn and we now sit in the bottom half of the table. That is seven points even from a play-off place. Back to back defeats at AFC Wimbledon and Colchester Utd (and no goals) mean a very bleak Christmas! FC Deportivo Galicia played out a terrific 3-3 draw at Colliers Wood in probably the best game of the season from a neutral’s point of view. Two home games this week against teams that can be beaten should see us move up the table! Whichever club you support, I wish you well….unless, of course, you support Arsenal or the Milton Keynes Plastics!

Good to see that roving vlogger Darren Ashley has been out and about over the holiday season and his latest video is from Didcot Town FC. Not only was it a good game but Darren’s efforts were well received by the home club. Mr Spielberg are you looking for a successor? They said, “Saturday saw non-league Vlogger Darren Ashley visit the Loop Meadow Stadium for the home clash with Malvern Town. The NONLEAGUEVlog sees Darren give his own perspective on a visit to a non-league ground. We welcomed Darren in and showed him around the Loop. Watch his Vlog, where he interviews manager Jamie Heapy, catches up with supporter Rob Green, his views of the Loop and action highlights. After a good win, we will welcome Darren back anytime if he brings us a bit of luck.”

Enjoy the video here

So, just a quick New Year update. Thanks for those who have supported O-M in sunny Finland. Please check whether you have any of the gaps on his wants’ list. We wish you a great second half of the season.
Talking of programmes and those who have helped O-M, Paul Johnson is selling off a huge collection of quality programmes at a budget price. Get in touch if you are looking for FA Cup Finals, Internationals etc etc

Anyone who really knows me will understand that I have a love of books…if not of Christmas!
On that basis and using that formula I was (half-) excited to get some suggestions from our friends at Stanchion Books. If these recommendations are of interest, get in touch with them direct. Enjoy.

A Season with Verona

“A Season with Verona” is without doubt doubt one of my favourite books. It combines most of the things I love in life – groundhopping, football, Italy and a healthy dose of social comment. I have gone on to read much of what Parks has written in English and much of his Italian-language content. We swap the odd comment on Facebook etc. The Guardian says, “A Season with Verona, the cult classic by Tim Parks, charted the highs and lows of a year spent following Hellas Verona, an unfashionable provincial club.”
Think Fever Pitch with deeper perspectives or the “Netflix Bank Under Siege” with a smoother storyline AND deeper perspectives. Many will have read “Miracle of Castel di Sangro” and there are parallels but whereas McGinniss plays at understanding football, Parks DOES understand football and has a genuine passion for everything that happens off the field as well as enjoying our “Beautiful Game.”

Stanchion says, “Is Italy a united country, or a loose affiliation of warring states? Is Italian football a sport, or an ill-disguised protraction of ancient enmities?

Tim Parks goes on the road to follow the fortunes of Hellas Verona football club, to pay a different kind of visit to some of the world’s most beautiful cities. This is a highly personal account of one man’s relationship with a country, its people and its national sport. A book that combines the pleasures of travel writing with a profound analysis of one country’s mad, mad way of keeping itself entertained.”

Absolute 10/10 recommendation. Check here

On an Italian theme…..

More than Maradona : The Birth, Death and Rebirth of SSC Napoli

“This first English-language history of one of Italy’s most popular teams appeals to both supporters and newcomers alike, revealing the reasons so many are smitten with SSC Napoli, even before they won their third title.

Diego Maradona spent less than seven seasons with Napoli, but during that time the Italian club soared to its greatest heights, winning the Serie A title twice and the Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italia, and UEFA Cup once.

Until very recently, for most soccer lovers, the Partenopei story begins and ends with Maradona. Yet Napoli’s history is packed with fascinating figures, from owners to players to the legend-turned-sport-director who brought in the beloved deity.

More than Maradona highlights this cast of characters, spotlights the side’s most intriguing years, and ties both back to the history and culture of Naples, a rare one-club town. Primarily written prior to the 2023 scudetto, the book concludes with an ecstatic finale covering the season in which Napoli dominated Serie A.”

This is my present to myself. I reserve judgement. I do not know how much Italian she speaks and to understand Italian football I would argue you would need to be comfortable. Does she speak the local Neapolitan language – this is the language of Gli Ultras del Napoli – the clubs fanatical supporters (again see Netflix) Order the book on Stanchion

It is getting TOWARDS (we’re not there yet!) “that” time of the year and as always I remember that Noddy Holder is famous for two things. Firstly “that” chant, “It’s Chhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhristmasssss” and secondly, but more importantly because they supported The Shirt Project way back in 2009. A close friend, Mike Haynes from Coys Cars in Alicante knew them from their schooldays and got Bjorn a signed shirt. Top guys.

In other news, Gillingham beat the plastics in Milton Keynes and we now find ourselves just two points outside the play-offs whilst FC Deportivo Galicia got a huge win at Staines & Lammas in Addlestone. To say it was cold is an understatement but I saw brass monkeys wearing multiple layers of thermals. The Bard himself, Mr Wm. Shakespeare wrote about Abbey Rangers’ ground in King Lear, “This blighted-heath.” He could also have noted the almost total lack of public transport but I guess he was more concerned about pizza. “Pizza, I love you more than words can wield the matter; Dearer than eyesight, space, and liberty; Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare; No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour; As much as child e’er loved, or father found A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable. Beyond all manner of so much I love you.” Thought that summed up my thoughts on pizza quite well.

Thinking of my love-hate relationship with the Combined Counties League, I continue, “Time shall unfold what plights cunning hides; who covers faults, at last with shame derides. Well may you prosper.’

Darren has been on his travels again and I’d encourage you to check his video at Rugby Borough where he claims it was cold too. I bet my brass monkeys are colder than his.

Christian is on his travels too but in his case he’s checking the charms of Bella Napoli! Yes, he is in sunny Italy in the city where Maradona is still deified. Buon viaggio, amico. Bring us a slice of pizza. Naples – The Birthplace of Pizza and therefore the most important city on the planet. I won’t quote Mr Sh again but you get the picture! In other news, Christian has been practising his David Attenboroughs. In an award ceremony more important than the Oscars, Emmies and Baftas combined, we have a winner! “I was incredibly excited and nervous to attend the Football Content Awards at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. To be nominated as a finalist was amazing but to come out on top and pick up the gold was beyond words. I still can’t believe it today, forever grateful. Here’s to 2025 and lots more non league content.”

…and so say all of us. Well done, champion. I note with a certain amount of irony that he is not the only person to come away from the Tottenham Hotspur stadium with a big win recently. I also ponder whether that’s the only silverware that will be seen in North London this season!

To round up, thanks to those who have supported O-M in his quest to collect 4,600 programmes. That is ONE programme, PER club, PER season from 1967 onwards. I think we filled almost 400 gaps in the last fortnight. Thanks to everyone. If you want to assist just ping him on Facebook.

A few months ago I met a most interesting gentleman on FB. I can’t claim to be a devotee of the platform nor its enigmatic Mr Zuckerberg but meeting O-M made up for the breakfast photos and Magat posts. You want me to block you? Share a Magat lie, a voxista mantra or anything positive about the Tories.

O-M has a fascinating project and I was delighted when he let me get involved. He explains, “Right (said Fred)… I started collecting programmes back in 1979. A friend of mine gave me a birthday present: 1974 Southampton v Chelsea programme. I got hooked instantly. At that time I was about one of the three people (that I knew of) who collected programmes in Finland. Anyhow, the number of people collecting in Finland has not increased too much. I have always been the village fool and annoying person asking for favours. First we went to the local bank to exchange money. We got two pounds every time, ordered about 10 programmes and were happy with that. Also ordered some bundles from Steve Earl. Later I started to concentrate on some particular teams, Liverpool, FC Cologne, Hammarby and also Finnish teams in Europe as well as Finnish national team.

However, I have always collected everything. So, one night about 2-3 years ago I did an Excel spreadsheet as I wanted to get one programme form every 92 league club. Sounded like an easy task. Until I did that spreadsheet. Well, here we are. I am very willing to give plenty of Finnish programmes if there’s someone interested.”

So, O-M’s project is very simple or is the word “easy?” In a nutshell, he wants to collect ONE programme per club per season from 1967-68 until 2016-2017. basic maths is 92×50 =4600 programmes. O-M is then digitalising them for posterity and creating a unique history of the Beautiful Game. But more …. it is a social history. The boom in attendances after the 1966 World Cup, the afternoon games during the three-day week, the Thatcher years and the hatred she spread, Heysel, Hillsborough and the Taylor Report going through to New Labour and Cool Britannia.

I could not not wait to be involved and have been collecting for a couple of months now. I have probably 300 going off this week and hopefully the same next week. I think we both see the “end” in sight so I am reaching out to any of you who would like to help him. If you can fill any of the gaps, he’d be delighted to hear from you. He’s asking for nothing for free and is happy to offer Finnish programmes in exchange. Equally I am happy to offer 2 or 3 for 1 for every gap we fill. Therein lies one of the challenges. The first time I walked into a Post Office in London, the guy shook his head and said £72! Postage is expensive to Finland and there are customs/taxes to be paid there too. (Brexiteers repent!) So, the easiest is to send it to me from the UK and I will send forward yours together with all the others. I have found a “PostMySuitcase” service at £24 for up to 20kgs to Finland so that’s my preferred method. In the UK, the best value is probably DPD “Shop to Shop” at £2.99+vat for 10+ programmes or Royal Mail for any less. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not use Evri. The service here in London is worse than diabolical. Likewise O-M will send one parcel to me and I will forward it to you. Please email me at steve {.at}theshirt2010.co.uk or catch O-M direct on FB

Of course, there is a whole story more about whether programmes are dead or an integral part of the matchday experience! See The Guardian

Well, today’s the day! I am really delighted to announce that Clare McEwen’s first book is published today. I have been following the word count closely and have blogged about it on TheShirt2010 so it is exciting to hear that it is LIVE!

She says, “News: Publication day is finally here

After several years of planning in my head, and over a year of researching and writing, “She Can Kick It: The History of Women’s Football Across the Word via a Girl in Love with the Beautiful Game” is finally out on Amazon to buy. Paperback and Kindle versions are available:

Paperback – https://amzn.eu/d/hS3xbDn
Kindle – https://amzn.eu/d/hdrxYWM

I’ve been nervous for the past couple of weeks waiting for today, and it’s possible I may actually explode today. I can’t decide whether to stress by the laptop waiting to see if anyone buys it or get myself outside and as far away from it as possible.

Although when I started this project, it was purely so I could tick “write a book” off my bucket list, it seems to have grown in momentum and now I feel pressure to sell a few copies. Hopefully, some will sell today to ease my anxiety. 

If any of you buy it today, please let me know by emailing me here claremcewen@gmail.com or messaging me on Instagram @claremcwrites 

And thank you, dear subscribers, for all your support over the past year. This newsletter will be continuing and now it can be less about me and more about the book in the wild and the stories of those that built the foundations of women’s football.”