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

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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

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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

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When the Final Whistle Blows: Glory, Grief and Tottenham Hotspur –
New memoir intertwines football glory, friendship, and a powerful
farewell through voluntary assisted dying

In a deeply personal tribute, British‑Australian author Andrew Pettifer traces a
season of hope and heartbreak – including a friend’s courageous choice to say
goodbye with dignity – and resolves to donate all proceeds to cancer research
Sydney, Australia

As the UK continues to debate the right to die, a powerful new memoir offers an intimate, real-life perspective on friendship, football, and voluntary assisted dying.

When the Final Whistle Blows; Glory, Grief and Tottenham Hotspur tells the story of
a season – and a farewell. For Tottenham Hotspur’s 2024/25 campaign under
Australian head coach Ange Postecoglou, author Andrew Pettifer set out to chronicle
what he hoped would be a season of glory. Instead, his journey became a moving
tribute to Cameron Whyte, beloved former leader of the Sydney chapter of the
Australian Tottenham Hotspur supporters club, OzSpurs.

What began as a passionate travel diary — capturing midnight matches watched
from pubs, hotels, and cruise ships around the world — gradually transformed into
something far deeper. As Spurs battled on the pitch, Cameron faced his own final
battle against cancer, ultimately choosing voluntary assisted dying (often called
voluntary euthanasia in the UK) to end his suffering.“I thought I was writing about football,” says Andrew. “But it became a book about life, love, and the right to choose how we say goodbye.”
The book culminates in a poignant parallel: Spurs lift the Europa League trophy just
four days before Cameron’s passing, offering a moment of triumph amid heartbreak.

At a time when the question of voluntary assisted dying is front-page news in the UK,
When the Final Whistle Blows offers a raw, human look at what that choice means —
framed by humour, friendship, and the unique bond shared by sports fans around the
world.

Andrew believes Cameron’s story makes a powerful case in favour of the legalisation
of assisted dying in the UK, a practice that was introduced in New South Wales in
2023.

“Cameron faced his final days with the same spirit he brought to every
match,” Andrew adds. “This book is for every fan who believes in hope,
and for our Commander, who taught us how to live — and how to leave,
through assisted dying — with dignity.

All proceeds from the book will be donated by the author to Chris O’Brien Lifehouse,
Sydney’s world leading integrated cancer hospital to support their work in cancer
research, in memory of Cameron Whyte.

About the Author
Andrew Pettifer is a British–Australian author whose work explores the quirks of the
human condition, the joys of travel, and a lifelong devotion to Tottenham Hotspur
Football Club.

Born and raised in London, Andrew enjoyed a 35-year career as a chartered building
services engineer, holding senior roles with global firms Arup and Mott MacDonald
after relocating to Sydney in 2007. Throughout his working life, he cultivated an
interest in leadership, human behaviour and storytelling. He has written extensively
for the engineering industry, with articles published in The Fifth Estate and the
CIBSE Journal.

In 2023, Andrew retired to pursue his passion for travel, sport and writing. With
career ambitions fulfilled and a shared desire to live life to the full, he embarked on a
midlife gap year with his wife Tracy that took them across five continents and every
state in Australia. These journeys – filled with humour, insight and a fascination for
people and places – inspired his upcoming travel memoir Travels with Tracy.

Andrew’s first book, When the Final Whistle Blows, is a deeply personal chronicle of
the 2024/25 Spurs season under Ange Postecoglou, and a heartfelt tribute to
Cameron Whyte, former leader of the Sydney OzSpurs and a warrior in his fight
against cancer. Both books are published by Hembury Books.

Andrew’s writing invites readers to reflect on their own stories, embrace new
adventures at any age, and find meaning in life’s unpredictability. With a talent for
finding humour in everyday moments, he shares tales of reinvention and resilience –
and the emotional rollercoaster of following Tottenham Hotspur for over sixty years.

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I saw an interesting post on my FB feed today from Hannah Hampton who has recently been crowned the BBC Sport “Women’s Footballer of the Year” award. She is the Chelsea and Lioness keeper who has overcome much to reach her level. Hampton was born with strabismus, an eye condition that affects depth perception. By the age of three she had undergone three operations at Birmingham Children’s Hospital to try and correct it and is now an ambassador for the hospital. She is currently raising funds and wrote,

“Birmingham Children’s Hospital looked after me for 6 years – and now it’s our time to look after them.

For £5 per ticket, you can enter the raffle and be in with chance to win signed lionesses shirts from Euro Winning Team, to raise money for the incredible kids fighting battles no child should face.

All money raised will go towards supporting the 100,000 sick kids the hospital treats every year.

Enter via the link in BCH bio or visit: uk2.emma-live.com/bch

Entries close at midnight on Wednesday 17

December 2025 and winners will be contacted on Thursday 18 December.

For full terms and conditions, please visit bch.org.uk

Please help whichever way you can, donate, or share – let’s make a difference together.”

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My previous post about James got quite some interest. So it should, QUALITY artist. We were talking earlier and I am delighted to see he has added a QPR History of Shirts page.

As always, all his work is available through his Gallery.
www.jkmartwork.com

Whilst I am choosing the Priestfield Stadium as my favourite, I know he is particularly pleased with his latest Stoke City (Victoria Ground) …and so he should be!

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Yes, it’s that time of year again. It is the last West London Programme and Memorabilia Fair. As always there will be a good range of dealers and hobbyists all with great offers for your loved ones (or yourself!)

I know Lee at NWM football has an extended selection of full season sets of all the main London clubs (and Arsenal) and I am sure Mark Barnes will have a wide range of shirts and leisure wear. Lee says he needs to be away by 1,15 so be sure to visit his corner early!

The Les Easterbrook stall is manly badges. “I have old and new badges. I have most of the current 92 League Clubs with their current crests. I also have 100s of Non League badges.”

BIG NEWS

Barry and Mark have arranged a VERY SPECIAL GUEST – Paul Parker

Paul (Fulham, QPR, Manchester United) will be in attendance and will be signing his Autobiography ‘ Tackling the Game’.

Last time they had a book signing at the Fair was for David Pleat and they ran out of books despite pre-orders being available.

The book retails at £25 and if you want to guarantee your copy at a discounted rate of £20 please email barry@dixey.net or phone / text on 07887 808102.

Look forward to seeing you all this Sunday.

I will not be exhibiting but would remind everyone that I have a large collection for sale.

FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES FOR SALE 

Sole reason for sale – health and retirement 

My entire collection is for sale as one single sale. It is 20,000 plus or minus items.

A quick overview:

# Approx. 20,000 programmes including hundreds and hundreds of big game programmes (Cup Finals/Internationals etc) and probably 500+each from Spurs, West Ham, QPR, Chelsea, Palace, Arsenal and Brentford.

# There are 3500 (counted) non league programmes going back to the 1970s.

# I also have almost 900 books about football and another 100 on different sports (primarily cricket but many others)

# I have 250+ Cricket magazines (Wisden, The Cricketer etc including 20+ complete years in binders) There are 100+ football DVDs and a similar number of annuals going back to the 1950s.

I need to be realistic on price and will be. I also have 18,000 non-football books and 500+ DVDs/Blu-rays available either as a separate one off sale or at an absolute give away price with the programmes. That is almost exactly 600 cubic feet of collections. They are available for collection from a storage unit near Heathrow. 

I repeat, l am not going to sell anything individually. No, this is a one-off sale at a bargain price.
It has been a great hobby for over 60 years but realistically now is the time to say goodbye.

See www.TheShirt2010.co.uk/uncategorized/programmes-for-sale

Please contact me on 07950 656654 (text only, I am deaf) or steve@theshirt2010 co uk

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Delighted to hear from Jim of Gillingham Legends who confirms that he has relaunched his Gillingham books that had been out of stock. He says, “I’m really pleased to say that due to popular demand both my books are now back in stock, just in time for Christmas – the perfect gift for any Gills fan.”

If you missed out on either first time round, here’s a quick recap of both – 

GILLINGHAM LEGENDS

Released in 2021, the A5 hardback book contains original digital illustrations of 175 Gills legends across all era’s including the likes of John Simpson, Damien Richardson, Tony Cascarino, Andy Hessenthaler, Bradley Dack and many more.

GILLINGHAM LEGENDS – THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE QUIRKY

Released in 2023, this book is jam packed with over 500 original images depicting some of the more bizarre moments in Gillingham FC history. This fun book includes the N’Gala transfer, Wolf from Gladiators, sets of tracksuits, Peter Beardsley, the Bryant shooting, the guttering incident plus much much more.

There’s a small quantity of each available from my website so be sure to be quick to secure yours!

Order here

If anyone is thinking what to give me for Christmas, just look above!

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BRENTFORD FC LAUNCHES A 24/7 SAFE HAVEN AT ITS GTECH COMMUNITY STADIUM

• As part of Brentford’s continued commitment to women and girls’ safety, Gtech Community Stadium now offers a 24/7 Safe Haven support to anyone feeling vulnerable

• Brentford’s home match against Burnley on 29 November will be dedicated to raising awareness of women’s safety with action including a post-match walk and talk session in collaboration with the local police and bystander intervention training for fans

Brentford FC’s Gtech Community Stadium has been accredited as a Safe Haven by the Safer Business Network.

The club’s west stand security hub, which is located on Lionel Road South outside the stadium, will provide support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to any member of the public who feels vulnerable or needs help.  The hub will be managed by trained security staff members and open to the community at all times. 

Safe Havens are dedicated spaces of support, which help people with their onward journey, providing various forms of assistance, such as contacting emergency services, phone charging facilities, calling a taxi or reaching friends and family.   

This Safe Haven accreditation is part of Brentford’s commitment to ensuring fans and those in the community, particularly women and girls, feel safe in the local area all year round.  

The space will be resourced by security staff who have received bespoke training provided by the Safer Business Network. The training equips staff with relevant skills and expertise to recognise vulnerability and how to offer help to those who need it. 

Brentford’s chief executive Jon Varney said: “We are a club that sits in the heart of the community and it is vital that we are able to support our fans and those living in the local area. In creating a Safe Haven space at our stadium, we are ensuring there is help available for anyone at any time of day. 

“This builds on the wide-ranging work we are doing with fans and partners as part of our continued commitment to create inclusive and safer environments for women and girls, not just on a matchday but everyday.” 

Eren Bessim, training and development manager at the Safer Business Network, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Brentford Football Club as the latest venue to become a Safe Haven. As a club deeply embedded in its community, Brentford continues to lead the way in championing safety, inclusion, and wellbeing both on and off the pitch. 

“Brentford FC is also a proud supporter of the Women’s Night Safety Charter, reinforcing its commitment to tackling violence against women and girls and making the Gtech safe for all. Their leadership and passion for creating safer spaces make them a powerful advocate for this initiative. We look forward to working closely with Brentford as part of our growing Safe Haven network.” 

Prioritising safety for women and girls 

Brentford is committed to ensuring the protection of women and girls and is undertaking a wide range of work to drive awareness, educate fans and take action to tackle this important issue.  

This week, the club will hold its first active bystander training session for fans who will learn about the importance of allyship and bystander interventions. The training aims to empower and equip our supporters with tools to safely step in if they witness harassment or abuse, which can help disrupt such incidents.    

The club’s Safe Haven and active bystander training is supported by funding from official club partner DeterTech, a company working to make communities safer through innovative solutions. Together, Detertech and Brentford are exploring new ways to keep women and girls safe in the local area. 

Brentford’s first team men’s players, Fábio Carvalho, Mathias Jensen and Ellery Balcombe have also been raising awareness of women and girls’ safety. On White Ribbon Day this week, the annual awareness day of the prevention of gender-based violence, the club released a short video in collaboration with the British Transport Police. The video shares steps on how we can intervene in incidents of harassment that may occur on the rail network. 

A long-term commitment  

Brentford’s home fixture against Burnley this Saturday will be dedicated to White Ribbon Day. Ahead of kick-off, the Metropolitan Police will be located outside the stadium with their promotional bus to speak to fans about their Violence Against Women and Girls plan.      

The police will lead a ‘walk and talk’ session from Brentford’s old club shop, Bees Superstore. Departing 15 minutes after the final whistle, the groups will help escort our fans home, and give supporters the opportunity to raise their concerns about safety. 

The safety of women and girls is a long-term commitment for the club. In 2023, Brentford signed up to the Women’s Night Safety Charter, which is a part of the Mayor of London’s Tackling violence against women and girls strategy.  

This season, the club set up Ask for Angela in the Gtech, ensuring that any woman or girl in our stadium can discreetly seek support from staff if they are feeling unsafe.  

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The QPR History Day will be back on Saturday 28 March 2026. An international break weekend.

The Subbuteo Tournament will also be taking place again and, after the Memorabilia Fair ends, there will be an afternoon entitled “R History” taking place with 3 special guest speakers.

More details to follow soon.

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