A Sticker's Worth 500 Words

This week Mat Jolin-Beech takes on a request post for Michael, the mastermind behind Twitter’s 80s&90s Football account, with a look at the power of nomenclature in the beautiful game. Sadly injury robbed us all of enjoying more of today’s subject’s talents in the era of Gazzetta Football Italia but three Ballon d’Ors , three league titles with both Ajax and AC Milan, two European Cups , a Cup Winners’ Cup and a European Championship probably acted as reasonable consolation when he was forced to hang up his boots aged 31 after two years on the sidelines. Moreover, as Mat discusses, one of his many moments of brilliance left an incredible legacy. We hope you enjoy this Michael – over to Mat. There are a few things in life that make such a cultural impact that they become the thing. THE thing. Now, let me give you context. Hoover = vacuum cleaner. Another? Breville = toasted sandwich maker. One more? Marmite = yeast extract. That last one is not for everyone – although I have foun...

Today’s post comes from a suggestion (of sorts) from the good people at Scottish Footy Cards by which we mean they posted a card of such bizarre excellence we had to chase them up and find out more. It goes to show that there is a big world out there beyond the dominance of Panini and Merlin. And what a world it is. Thanks for the suggestion and we hope this does the trick. In 2002 the US Men’s National Team went further than they had done in any World Cup since 1930 when they reached the quarter-finals. Along with host nation South Korea they shocked a much-fancied Portugal side in the group stage and went on to score an impressive victory over Mexico in the second round. Although they were beaten by eventual finalists Germany in the last eight their performances demonstrated the impact of the tournament they had hosted back in 1994 on bringing through talented professional players. At the forefront of this success was Landon Donovan, possibly the most American looking and American...

Certain pieces of footballing commentary have become so entrenched in the minds of the game’s fans that it doesn’t matter if you didn’t actually hear them live and direct. Kenneth Wolstenholme’s delivery of “some people are on the pitch…they think it’s all over…it is now” instantly conjures up the image of Geoff Hurst smashing the ball in to complete England’s victory over West Germany in the 1966 World Cup Final. It would be just over 22 years after this event that I was born but nonetheless Wolstenholme’s voice is as clear as day in my head. Then again that might be because the footage gets replayed anytime the England men’s national team are threatening to get out of the group stage of an international tournament let alone on the verge of winning one . The climax of the 1988/89 First Division season came roughly two months before my first birthday but, yet again, a piece of commentary is lodged firmly in my head from this time. Arsenal travelled to Anfield needing to win by two cle...