A Sticker's Worth 500 Words

Mat Jolin-Beech takes on a post this week that has been three years in the making. Back in 2020 Rich started work on something but then “got writer’s block after a fleeting thought of ‘if he hadn’t got injured, he could’ve done well for England’”. Emlyn was unlikely to ever take up the mantle having spent a bit too long sharing an office with a man whose prized possession was the signed picture of the striker which sat on his desk. My main recollection of today’s subject was as the up and coming star of a Crewe Alexandra side that found themselves 3-0 down after half an hour at Selhurst Park. He scored from close range at the Holmesdale Road end and put his hand to his ear to silence the crowd. Palace promptly went up the other end, scored again, and ran out 4-1 winners. Over to Mat with something far more coherent. Maybe. Hobbling down the stairs this morning, and realising its been a few weeks since my last piece to grace these hallowed pages, one person sprang to mind: Dean Ashton. ...

Today I am taking on a request post of sorts for my sister Maria. Regular readers may have noticed her eye for a talented footballer in previous posts on Andy Carroll and Alessandro Del Piero and today’s subject would have complimented both of these players with his mazy runs, pinpoint crosses and popstar good looks. The latter allowed my sister to indulge in some “post Ronan Keating sophistication” on her bedroom wall while the former saw him win the Champions League twice among a host of other honours. Hope this does the trick mate. The print magazine may well have had its day. It was always an indulgence of mine for a long train journey but gone, it seems, is the array of choice there once was with publications reduced in number and replaced with more commemorative or anthology style products. This is all well and good in an age of rapid technological advancement but perhaps the buyers at WH Smith’s might want to consider that not every football fan wants to reminisce on Manchest...

This week Mat Jolin-Beech takes a look at the world of obscure football trivia through the medium of an exceptionally talented Portuguese winger with popstar good looks (no, not that one). Today’s subject turned out for some of Europe’s biggest clubs, scored some incredible goals and even overcame giant insects to help his nation to continental triumph. All of this pales in comparison, of course, to his place in the realms of useless information . Over to Mat with apologies to a former Middlesbrough fullback. The game’s gone mad. Money has ruined football. Etc etc etc. The old, grumpy, and not very rich man in me all agree. Some of you may remember the first £1m player. Some the first £10m player. Most the first £100m sale. Even mangers agree that finances have had their impact on the game. One Jurgen Klopp, of seventh season syndrome, has suffered. The new money of the Saudi Pro League has hit his squad with club captain Jordan Henderson and Roberto Firmino among the now hoards to hea...

The first FIFA World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930 and featured just thirteen teams for a range of reasons which could only have occurred in that particular decade. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland had resigned from FIFA two years earlier following a dispute over payments to amateur players and refused to participate despite invitation. Japan and Siam (modern day Thailand) couldn’t manage the lengthy sea journey and withdrew while Egypt, Africa’s sole representatives in FIFA, missed the boat to South America due to storms in the Mediterranean. Belgium, France , Yugoslavia and Romania provided Europe’s representation at the tournament and the latter only attended following the intervention of King Carol II who was rumoured to have even had had a say in the make up of the squad. Much has changed in the last century and the World Cup has been hosted in six different continents and featured participants from all around the world. The recently completed FIFA Women’s World C...