Books

Books, glorious books
We’re anxious to try it
Three bios a day, our favourite diet
Just picture a mammoth steak, fried, roasted or stewed
Oh, books, wonderful books, marvellous books, glorious books
Books, glorious books
Books, magical books, wonderful books, marvellous books
Food, glorious books

Magical books
Glorious books

…with apologies to Charles Dickens and Lionel Bart (amongst others!)

Those of me who know me, know that I love football, travel and ………books. I am your archetypal bookworm. I rarely read fiction (other than Tory election manifestos) but will read books about travel, languages/linguistics, politics and, of course, football in five or six languages. As Jane Austen said “It is a truth universally acknowledged that Steve without a book in his hands is a rare site. Well, she might not have said it BUT I am a bookworm/un ratón de biblioteca, en …. and whatever it is in any other language (Finnish? Best guess – kkiikkikkiiakkieeii)

Delighted to get updates from my friends at Pitch Publishing and Stanchion this week. Hopefully they are of interest to you too. Here is an interesting one from Pitch Publishing

Few clubs are “unique” – Athletic de Bilbao absolutely is!

Los Leones: The Unique Story of Athletic Club Bilbao tells the incredible story of the unique Basque club. Athletic’s rich history and Basque-only philosophy causes intrigue across the footballing world. Exclusive interviews with former legends and prominent journalists provide the historical and political context of what makes Athletic so special.

For more books from Pitch Publishing, click HERE


Meanwhile Stanchion’s Craven Cottage – 250 years interested me

It’s all about Fulham’s ground, although the story starts well over 100 years before the football club arrived. Indeed, there was a Craven Cottage on the site in 1777. The story comes right up to date with the building of the second Riverside Stand.

Along the way there is drama, tragedy, high-society parties, the Craven dynasty, heroes and villains, financial crises, the near-demise of the football club, the complexities of the original Cottage building and its numerous tenants, followed by the story of the 130-year evolution of the football ground’s four sides and the current Cottage building – and much more. And this all on a tiny 8-acre site once surrounded by orchards and farms, then by industrial wharves and now by prestigious living accommodation.

For more from Stanchion, click here

… AND NOW A PLEA FOR HELP!!

I would like your money, just £1 of it! I am struggling to reach my initial target £500 for FC Deportivo and Prostate Cancer at £20 or £50 so this is a bit of a test/a trial if you like. I wonder how many of you would be happy to add just £1? I would be very grateful if you would consider a donation however small to support  Prostate Cancer UK  If everybody chipped in £1 I would easily hit my target of £5,000 and the charity would continue to fund their great work. Every single penny goes DIRECT to Prostate Cancer UK. A HEARTFELT thanks, if you can donate. If you can’t you can still help massively by sharing this page about the work of Prostate Cancer. If you prefer to support FC Deportivo Galicia, their link is here

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The FA and England Football join forces with Michail Antonio to celebrate grassroots football volunteers

After yesterday’s “good news” blog when we looked at the greatest goals, here’s an even better one. It’s March so it’s time for the annual Grassroot Football Awards. It’s the time of year when we think back on all those people who have helped us through the season in whatever capacity and when we have the opportunity to publicly thank them.

Nowadays, there are a huge range of categories so there may well be a whole number of people you can nominate at your club. Read on, Macduff!

Grassroots Football Award

The Grassroots Football Awards are here for you to say thank you to all the people and organisations who give their time to make football happen… our awesome volunteers who give so much week-in, week out, rain or shine. And they are for you, the parents, coaches, clubs, leagues, fellow volunteers, match officials etc to pass on your appreciation. 

By nominating a volunteer for a Grassroots Football Award, you’re passing on your thanks. For every big and small moment they bring. For their time, energy and ideas. For your appreciation of everything they do in making the grassroots game happen. 

Your thanks will mean a lot, to a lot of people.

As well as a big thank you, our national Award winners will enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience at their own presentation ceremony at Wembley ahead of the Community Shield. As well as tickets to the match, filming and photography at their club plus more prizes.

You can nominate as many times as you like, in as many categories as you like. And every time you nominate a volunteer, you can be sure they’ll hear all about it.

HOW TO NOMINATE

This year, it’s easier than ever. You can now tell their story in a way you want simply by letting us know:

• What they do, and how it impresses you
• How they make a difference to others’ lives
• Where they’ve had an impact in their community

The more detail you give, the better. 

Nominations are open to the 3 April 2024. There are twelve different categories for you to nominate into. For more details please click below. I will not be embarrassed if you nominate FC Deportivo Galicia!!!

NOMINATE NOW

… AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

I would like your money, just £1 of it! I am struggling to reach my initial target £500 for FC Deportivo and Prostate Cancer at £20 or £50 so this is a bit of a test/a trial if you like. I wonder how many of you would be happy to add just £1? I would be very grateful if you would consider a donation however small to support  Prostate Cancer UK  If everybody chipped in £1 I would easily hit my target of £5,000 and the charity would continue to fund their great work. Every single penny goes DIRECT to Prostate Cancer UK. A HEARTFELT thanks, if you can donate. If you can’t you can still help massively by sharing this page about the work of Prostate Cancer. If you prefer to support FC Deportivo Galicia, their link is here

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Pubkas Awards

Here’s one for all non league fans! The Pubkas Awards 2023/24

Pubkas Awards: Send us your best goals from amateur leagues – you could win a CASH prize

The brand new Pubkas Awards honour the best goals scored in Britain’s amateur football leagues in the 2023/24 season. Send us videos of the most beautiful efforts to be in with a chance of winning a cash prize and trophy – as well as the glory. You’ve heard of the Puskás Award – now it’s time for the Pubkas Awards.

Just like FIFA’s annual trophy, the brand new accolade recognises the beautiful game’s “most beautiful” goals. But solo efforts and screamers from GOAT contenders such as Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Seamus Coleman won’t be considered.

Instead, the Pubkas Awards will honour the finest goals scored in amateur football leagues only. So if you’ve captured a Sunday morning worldie or a pub team cracker on camera in the 2023/24 season, we want to see it.

To be in with a chance of winning, goals must be pure filth – in a good way. We’re talking acrobatic bicycle kicks, long range thunderbolts, cheeky rabonas, delicate chips, individual efforts and flowing team goals.

Ferenc Puskas (front-left), pictured leading Hungary out at Wembley in 1953, inspired the name of the award 

Image: Popperfoto via Getty Images

Flukes, deflected strikes and any goals involving the dark arts or foul play will be immediately booted out of contention by our panel of expert judges tasked with shortlisting the best of the bunch.

The Puskás Award, named after legendary 1950s Real Madrid and Hungary forward Ferenc Puskás, is handed out “without distinction of gender” – and the Pubkas Awards are similarly inclusive in that respect.

Goals scored in both the men’s and women’s game, junior, open age and veterans leagues, will be accepted. Crucially, they have to have been scored in amateur competitions.

The competition is now open and will close at 6pm on Sunday May 19, which should be around the time the last ball is kicked in the Premier League this season. Once the judges have agreed on a shortlist of the best 10, voting will commence.

The three goals with the most votes at the end of the process, which closes at at 6pm on Sunday June 16, will each get an engraved trophy and a cash prize – as well as the glory, of course. First place will get £500, second place £300 and third place £200.

Send in your entries now to be in with a chance of winning. After all, if you don’t shoot…

I have certainly seen contenders at FC Deportivo Galicia and I am sure Christian and Darren have suggestions.

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Taunton Town FC

Over the last two months I have been struck time and time again at the huge divide between the wealthy clubs of the Premier League and. well, everybody else. Obviously, the Tuktuk Tour is to raise awareness and funds for FC Deportivo Galicia at Step 6. Our challenges are nothing compared to those further up the pyramid. We have no paid employees, we have no ground to maintain and rarely need coach travel.

We groundshare with Bedfont Sports and the players carpool to away games that are generally within 30 miles. We hear of the troubles at Chester, Rochdale and in the North East. Sadly some clubs have had to throw the towel in during the season. This week’s ” Plea for Help” is from Taunton Town in Somerset. Them today, your club tomorrow?

“I would like to highlight the current plight of Taunton Town Football Club. We are just coming out of the wettest winter ever in this part of the world, this has taken its toll on non league football pitches but none more so than our County Town side which has seen 9 games postponed due to waterlogged pitches and 5/5 of the last home games. This has left the club with no matchday income through ticket sales, bar, food and club shop purchases. The club recently had a winding up petition from the HMRC as they could not pay taxes due to no income. The money was found and the HMRC paid but they need paying every month. A statement was released this week that the club have not been able to pay players in full, staff at all, and will likely have another winding up petition #(below). In reality, the club is very close to closure. The club plays at the 6th tier of English football, 2 off Football League Two so fairly high up in the National football pyramid. The recently formed Independent Supporters Association are trying to raise funds to close the gap. They have a Go Fund Me page at https://gofund.me/c8154fa3 alternatively, supporter Troy Webster is running an 84 mile ultra marathon to which you can sponsor him at https://gofund.me/e9194d32 Troy is donating his sponsorship to the football club.

If there is anyone reading this who could assist in engaging with EDF/Hinkley Point/HPC and the workforce this could also make a huge difference. If only 10% of the workforce were to start following the club or make donations it would help greatly. There could even be a Hinkley Point Taunton Supporters Branch! In the 2013/14 floods we had Dutch pump employees over at the EA, I managed to convince one to come and watch Taunton Town and he formed the Taunton Town Dutch supporters branch. We are also ‘big in Japan’, I kid you not……. due to a former Taunton Resident hosting a Japanese football show on one of their main channels and featuring the club.

If the town was to lose its football team this would have a big impact locally. The club provides people with wellbeing and social interactions, a release from daily work/life balances. It provides local companies advertising opportunities through sponsorship and working with the club. A large part local history and culture would be wiped out. If you can support the club either through donations, attending forthcoming fundraisers such as a Horse Race Night and Quiz Night or attending games when the pitch is playable, it will go a long way towards securing the future of the club.”

Sad days, indeed.

# Club Statement

The number of home games postponed due the volume of rain these past weeks has only deepened the financial challenges the club is experiencing.

As a result, the club has been unable to meet its salary commitments for February (payment due on the 5^thMarch 2024). Using the small amount of income the club has received in February, it has agreed with the players to pay an affordable percentage of their expected sum.  The difference will be paid as soon as the club is able to. The remainder of the club staffing team have unfortunately not been paid.

Disappointingly the lack of income does mean that the club is unable to meet its HMRC commitment. Having already exhausted payment plan options with the Revenue, another winding up order and league transfer embargo could be unavoidable. The club will endeavour to continue to provide updates on the situation when we can.

Tickets for the remaining home games can be purchased online via the club website. Doing so in advance would significantly assist the club in this challenging time. Further to this, tickets are now available for the exhibition match between Manchester United Legends vs Taunton Town Legends on 19^th May. Your support will be greatly appreciated.

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Flackwell Heath

Yes, it’s Sunday which can only mean one thing. I look back on Gillingham and FC Deportivo Galicia’s results and I watch Darren Ashley’s You Tube channel. Gillingham drew at home to Tranmere Rovers whilst Deportivo Galicia beat Bagshot 7-0 in a game that was not as one-sided as it seemed.

Darren was meant to have been at high-flying Flackwell Heath last week but it fell foul of the weather. Yesterday he was in more luck as he relates,

” Yesterday’s vlogging took me to South Buckinghamshire, after an invite from Rich, to his club Flackwell Heath, who happened to be top of the Combined Counties Prem Division North league.

I was meant to go there last Saturday, but it got called off that morning, which was no bad thing for me as I was feeling a bit under the weather.

This week, they were playing 16th placed Harefield United.

Recent league form for both teams…

Flackwell Heath W W W W W W

Harefield Utd L W L W L W

….surely only one outcome right?….

No spoilers though from me as I’d like you to watch the vid which is in the comments

As I try to do, I got there early, to find out a bit more about the clubs and to do some early filming, which, when complete, I can relax a bit before kick off.

Rich met me on arrival, and was great, giving me access to virtually anything I like, including going on the heavily sanded pitch and match filming on the gantry.

During my downtime before kick off, I chatted to a fair few home fans about their club.

It was clear, their team meant a lot to them and were desperate for promotion to step 4 for 1st time in their history.

Onto kick off then, where I soon found out, it was bloody cold up on the gantry with a very strong wind.

The game itself, was probably quite an awkward one to play in for both teams due to the wind and the pitch, but it was one of those matches where something always seemed to be happening, whether a great bit of skill, excellent goalkeeping,or, proper Non League tackles and a few verbals, which I found to be quite funny.

Special mention must go out to Harefield’s number 9, who was the grandmaster in dishing the verbals out

In no time at all it seemed, the full time whistle went, where, i did my usual thing of seeking out a manager for a post match interview and, to wrap up the filming at the club.

I bumped into Rich as I was planning to leave, but he invited me into the clubhouse for some food and drink…who was I to say no??!!!

In there, between mouthfuls of grub, I had a good chat with the match officials about how difficult the match looked to ref…although, I thought they did well as it was clear both teams were definitely trying to gain any advantage they could…if you know what I mean!

Home time came then, and the hours drive home where I reflected on the day and how wonderfully I was looked after by Flackwell Heath FC.

It is such a lovely club, in a nice setting, and I really hope they go up, where I will love to return up on that gantry….but on a sunnier day.”

Watch the highlights and the David Colemans here

I hope you subscribe to Darren’s blog. Like Christian he is doing a great job promoting non-league football. There is NO cost to subscribe to either blog/vlog. On the other hand I would like your money, just £1 of it! I am struggling to reach £500 for FC Deportivo and Prostate Cancer at £20 or £50 so this is a bit of a test/a trial if you like. I wonder how many of you would be happy to add just £1? I would be very grateful if you would consider a donation however small to support  Prostate Cancer UK  If everybody chipped in £1 I would easily hit my target of £5,000 and the charity would continue to fund their great work. Every single penny goes DIRECT to Prostate Cancer UK. A HEARTFELT thanks, if you can donate. If you can’t you can still help massively by sharing this page about the work of Prostate Cancer. If you prefer to support FC Deportivo Galicia, their link is here

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British Heart Foundation FC Memorial Shirt

It’s Saturday and that means football. Today it is a home game against Bagshot FC. Sadly they are having a pretty torrid time this season with only one away win so far. I smell a banana skin. Let’s go for a 5-1 win. Mmmmmm!

Obviously, the tuktuk tour is to raise awareness for Prostate Cancer UK but I am not blind to the Tories continually ravaging the NHS so I am happy to promote this unique project, the British Heart Foundation FC Memorial Shirt.

They say, “Add the name of a loved one or a special person to our one-off Memorial shirt in partnership with Ignite Sports Apparel.

We always wear our shirts with pride and passion and can’t wait to represent these special names.

For £10 your loved one name will feature on the front of the brand-new home.

Money raised for British Heart Foundation

Shirt sponsored by Tension Twisted Realities

Ignite Sports say, “Charity is important to us. Not only because we love to be able to give a little back, but also as it’s exactly where our business started.

Our first ever kit was for a charity club that was founded and managed by our MD, Chris, who couldn’t find a kit he loved or accurately represented the spirit of the team! The rest as they say is history!

We’d love to be known as the kit supplier for charity teams. We offer bespoke pricing packages and structures for charity football clubs as well as offering a ‘give’ back’ scheme.” 

You can add the name on the shirt until the 13th March then the special shirt will be on sale for everyone to buy on Monday 16th March for £21.99.

Add name here

We are more than a Football Club

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World Book Day

If anybody knows anything about me they would do a “What three words” – Steve, “football, travel, books.” I’d probably add chess and anti-Tory but the first three words are pretty accurate. This week it is World Book Day so it is a great excuse for me to share some books that cover at least two of the three!

First up I present Gareth Thomas and his love of Anguilla and Uprising FC (logo above). He sent me an excerpt yesterday. I am looking forward to the release of his first book.

“As I approach 20,000 words written for my book, just to wet the appetite I thought I would share a brief snippet of what I have written. This is my favourite passage that I’ve written so far.”

By coincidence Clare McEwen wrote that she was excited that she had written 25,313 words in her book about Women’s Football. I will let her introduce herself.

“A Girl In Love With the Beautiful Game. Hi, I’m Clare and I fell in love with football when I was about 9-years-old. I’ll be honest, I don’t remember the exact moment the beautiful game touched my heart because that was nearly 40 years ago. But I do remember the moment I got my very own proper football. And the moment I put on my first pair of football boots (Golas for those who remember them). I was already in love with the game by then but these prizes sealed the deal. Now I’m writing a book on the history of women’s football so everyone knows how it has grown both in England and throughout the world. The stories, the struggles, the amazing women and men who fought against the governing bodies, defying bans, battling disrespect, and suffering abuse. “

More here

So Gareth and Clare new to the world of Dickens and Shakespeare but the the next two friends have both written multiple books each

Gary Thacker has just released his latest book O Jogo Bonito and Miguel Lourenço Pereira followed up with Bring me that Horizon

Obviously as a Gillingham fan, I am going to pimp Jim Norley’s great books

A couple of others I would like to highlight are Gavin Haigh’s definitive “Black and White Stripes”
and Stuart Kane’s book on the tragedy of Robin Friday.

Obviously we are fortunate to have so much written about “The Beautiful Game – O Jogo Bonito” and a couple of people I should spotlight again are Stanchion Books, Halcyon Publishing and Pitch Publishing for all things football, especially what I would call “non-mainstream”

Happy World Book Day

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As I move around the clubs, life sometimes gets in the way. Today I had a HUGE blog scheduled for World Book Day and then I got a time sensitive newsletter that I thought deserved sharing. Apologies for those featured in the books and those waiting for my recommendation but today I give you Sutton United FC

It has been a very tough season for the South London club and they are in a tight spot towards the bottom of League 2 BUT they have found time and resources to support the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. Respect to them for that. The newsletter continues…

“To honour our new partnership with @royalmarsden we are delighted to unveil this beautiful limited edition shirt from @oneillssportswear
 

The club will also be launching a special, aubergine-coloured shirt, with £3 from the sale of each shirt to be donated to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity to support its vital work. This will give Sutton fans and the wider local community the opportunity to support this brilliant cause and help to raise awareness of all the wonderful work they do.  

This new special edition kit will be worn for Sutton’s home game on 23rd March 2024 versus Accrington Stanley in partnership with O’Neill’s, and could replace the green away kit for the forthcoming 2024/25 season. More details to follow in due course.  

We would like to place on record our gratitude to all the staff at The Royal Marsden, The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and the team at O’Neills for helping to bring this all together. We look forward to seeing the positive impact of this support.  

You can pre-order your special Royal Aubergine shirt here “

..and there’s more

To mark the start of an exciting new relationship between Sutton United and the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, four Sutton United first team players, captain Craig Eastmond, Sam Hart, Louis John and Rob Milsom, visited The Royal Marsden’s Oak Centre for Children and Young People in Sutton earlier this month.

The players were also joined by Rob Milsom’s younger brother Nick, who was treated for leukaemia at the hospital in 1995 when he was only three years old.  

Rob commented: “It means so much to me and my family the work that they do here at The Royal Marsden, especially thinking about my brother Nick who was affected at such a young age and owes so much to the fantastic staff here.”  

The players met with more than twenty children and young adults, speaking with them one-to-one and gifting them signed Sutton United shirts. Club captain Craig commented: “Visits like this are special to us players as well. We look forward to coming back to visit again very soon.”  

Louis, Rob and Sam also took part in some fun football games with the children, and the positive impact of the visit for patients was clear to see.  

Louis said: “You could see how much it meant to these young kids to have us there visiting from the big smiles on their faces.”  

Sam added: “It really brightened up their day. For us players, it feels great to be able to give something back to these kids who have had such a difficult start to life. Everyone was really impressed with Louis’ keepy-uppy and ball balancing skills! He did get nutmegged on the goal line a couple of times!”  

As part of the relationship between The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and Sutton United, the club will be offering young patients the chance to be included in the excitement of match day as they walk out with the team as honorary Mascots.  

Amy Mullins, Head of Community Fundraising at The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, said: “We are delighted to be working with Sutton United and are really grateful to those at the club who have made this memorable experience possible for these young patients. The club’s support will also help to ensure The Royal Marsden continues to provide the very best treatment and care and develop new treatments that help cancer patients around the world.” 

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Yes, Christian has been on his travels again. Last time it was Stafford Rangers FC. Like Darren’s, his reviews are proving very popular on my site. This time he is at Ramsgate FC on the Kent coast. Think you will all love t.

I’d also like to do a BIG shout-out for Christian for raising a goodly amount for the vital “Head in The Game ” Charity recently. Congratulations, Christian. Yes, he loves his football and like me he is clearly keen to give something back to a sport that has offered us so much. GREAT WORK, WARRIOR.

If others are not aware of the reason for my tuktuk tour, please see the final paragraph below for details of my challenge.

A brief history of Ramsgate Football Club

Established in 1886, Ramsgate FC dissolved in 1924, leading to Ramsgate Glenville taking over Southwood Stadium. Post-World War II, Glenville vanished, making room for Ramsgate Athletic, holding onto the name until 1972. Their peak came in the original Kent League until its 1959 collapse, prompting a move to the Southern League, later returning to the re-formed Kent League in 1976.

From 2004, manager Jim Ward propelled the club to dual championships, reaching the Isthmian League Premier Division. The 2007–08 season marked a pinnacle, securing 5th place, reaching play-offs, and winning the Isthmian League Cup. However, relegation followed the next season.

This season has seen the historic and unprecedented feat, with the team reaching the FA Cup second round. They triumphed over National League’s Woking but faced a 5–0 defeat against League Two’s AFC Wimbledon in a memorable chapter for the club. This remarkable journey showcased the ups and downs in Ramsgate’s storied history.

Battling in the league for promotion the team look set to take it to the wire with themselves and Cray Valley PM battling away for the top spot and only automatic promotion place in the league.

Sources

Club legends (as told by Fan Darius Sarrafan)

Jim Ward – took Ramsgate to their highest ever league finish as well as a league cup win and the first round of the FA Cup 

Warren Schultz – record appearances for the club (458) and was an integral part of Jim Ward’s history making side

Kit

2023/2024 Ramsgate FC Home Kit

Replica Kit – Available online only, no club shop!

Stadium info

“Ramsgate FC game days are well worth attending, I have been attending for 57 years! I even volunteer my time as the clubs kit man now, giving back to the club that has done so much for me.”
Phil Butler – Ramsgate Fan and Club Volunteer.

So, to learn more read about the ground, read what fans say and, most importantly, find where Ramsgate are in the Food and Drink tables shoot over to Christian’s blog to learn more. Do you agree that the drinks are …. and ….? Is that fair, unkind or generous. Visit Through the Turnstile to learn more!

Congratulations, Christian

I would be very grateful if you would consider a donation however small to support FC Deportivo Galicia and/or Prostate Cancer UK  If everybody chipped in £1 I would easily hit my target of £10,000 and life would be easier in West London whilst the charity continues their great work. A HEARTFELT thanks, if you can. If you can’t you can still help massively by sharing this page about the work of Prostate Cancer.

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Moving on, I was delighted to read the discussions about Clubforce’s fundraising guide in variousl online forums and groups. My page sparked interest. They also have an important communication guide and I thought that this too was worth sharing. Every week I read about financial challenges that the clubs in Steps 1 to 6 and below are facing. We have all heard of the high profile problems at Taunton, Nuneaton, Dover, Rochdale and more but below them every club is fighting. So, I hope this second guide is useful to many.

Engage your team and community.

Master the art of effective communication within your club and beyond, ensuring members stay engaged and informed every step of the way.

Learn about how effective communication is an essential part of a well-run sports club. Expectations of members and wider club communities have never been higher with an expectation of modern, speedy, and accessible communications.

We explore a number of different communication channels, as well as the importance of storing your member’s data securely and GDPR.

• Learn what is good communication for sports clubs
• Take advantage of different communication channels – and how to use them
• Understand how to remain compliant with online communications – especially mobile apps

You can download the FREE GUIDE here

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