EURO, EUROPA, EUROPEAN.

Bala Town, Llandudno Town (drawn to play Goteborg of Sweden) and Connah's Quay along with the national team from Wales are still in European Cup Competitions. Yes of coourse Chris Coleman's team are still in Euro2016, but it is the UEFA Europa League that will occupy many footballers from our British leagues during their pre-season.
I know Barnsley are back in training already; it is plastered all over the Chronicle and lucky clubs from the other four "British" leagues will contest European opposition from some very distant and obscure venues over the next few months.

The Europa league emerges originally from the UEFA Cup, which was the brain wave of English FA's hero Sir Stanley Rous and Ernst Thommen of Switzerland.

96 clubs have joined the First Qualifying draw and to the 48 victors will be added a further 18 for the next round. Getting excited already? You should be because Valur, KR Reykjavik and Briedablik, all from Island (Iceland) are raring to cause another upset! HOOOO!

St Patrick's from Eire with fellow country teams Shamrock Rovers, Cork City (playing Linfield) went into the first qualifying round draw along with Cliftonville, Linfield (playing Cork) and Glenavon from Northern Ireland. The three Welsh clubs above and Aberdeen and Hearts, Scottish representatives, make up the rest of the British contigent. Ties to be played by 7th July.

Why only two from Scotland? Well Hibernians are deemed to be important enough to join the tournament at the 2nd Round of qualifying, which is to be completed by 21st July.

Then the 3rd Qualifying Round will gather a few more prestigious Europeans such as Hertha Berlin (home venue the 1936 Olympic Stadium), Panathinaikos from Athens

and Spartak Moskva; not to forget West Ham United playing at home in the London Olympic Stadium (2012).

By the time the competition drags itself into the Group Stages in early August Manchester United and Southampton will be ready to take on anyone; you know... the likes of Zenit, Schalke, Internationale.
If you want here is the Europa League website:
http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/season=2017/clubs/index.html
The final 24th May 2017, is to be held at the Friends' Arena, Solna, Stockholm, a new stadium built in 2012.
Sevilla have won the Trophy for the past three years and five times overall. Before that it was Chelsea!
Previous blogs have spent time on this important competition.

HUH! HOOOO! HAUNS!

The terrifying Icelandic chant that filled the Allianz Riviera when they humilated England (and other teams previously, for they did dispatch the Netherlands in qualifying, for example) has been the subject of some research recently. The gutteral "Huh" or "Hooo" is onomatopoeic and apparently originates from the "Viking" or is it the "Norse"? This lasts about a minute!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLP6087ETwY

The media didn't pay a lot of attention to this in the earlier Euro games but when the English team was on the end of the chant, it was compared to being confronted by a Haka.

Cardiff City midfielder Aron Gunnarsson led the team on the post match pitch, as most of the Iceland's  population filled their end of the stadium and enjoyed the team's new found fame.

It has been revealed that this is not a Scandinavian chant but has its roots two years ago at Fir Park, Scotland, home of Motherwell FC. The heart of the Motherwell crowd known as the "Bois" used the chant "hauns" and when they played against Europa League opponents from Reykjavik, the Icelanders were impressed,

FC Stjarnan took the chant home. The chant brought good fortune to the club that had won the Icelandic league title in 2014. They had dispatched Bangor (Wales) 8-0 originally, then sent Motherwell out of the Europa league 5-4, despite the chant.

Stjarnan's crowd, the "Silver Spoons" (locally called "Gardabaer"), because they come from the richer side of town, then stimulated by the "Huh" went on to beat Polish Lech Poznan before meeting their match, Italy's Internazionale, 0-9.

The chant was then adopted by the national side. But this is not the end of Motherwell's musical creation: fanchants.co.uk/football-team/motherwell

LET'S JUST PLAY FRIENDLIES

Thank God the game last night didn't go to penalties; I couldn't cope with another championship defeat after a tense shoot out. Better that the chaps were absolutely outclassed by a team motivated by their own brand of POMO (position of maximum opportunity), yes Graham Taylor's tactic, where direct play, aerial balls, aggressive tackling and well disciplined defending took Iceland into the final 8. It wasn't Wimbledon but it was uncomplicated. Iceland deserved their victory, I have never seen so many players in one team miss pass, let the ball roll under their foot, miss control a ball, over hit a corner or free kick....la,la.la. This commentary comes from George Hamilton of RTE. There are " to listen to (see below and BELOW)
http://www.the42.ie/george-hamilton-euro-2016-iceland-2850884-Jun2016/

Dear old Graham had an embarrassment as England manager, when his brand of football led neatly to a 1-2 defeat by Sweden in the 1992 Euro. After two excruciating 0-0 draws, the game in Sweden was settling down nicely into another 0-0 draw when GT subbed off GL (Lineker) and we lost. It was Gary's last game for England.

In 2008 England goalie, Scott Carson, fumbled a Croatian shot on a wet pitch and we lost 2-3 in another Euro qualifier. We knew the pitch was wet because manager Steve McLaren became dubbed the Wally with the Brolly. That did for him.

Nordic teams seem to have the "indian" sign over us; there is the Norway 1982 World Cup qualifier and Bjorge Lillelien's commentary that almost matches the Icelandic lad who shows us a few octaves when his boys score. George Hamilton does a similar job.
http://www.the42.ie/george-hamilton-euro-2016-iceland-2850884-Jun2016/

I'm not going back to 1950 and the part time American World Cup team (USA) that scrambled a goal against well stocked England and favourites??  in the Brazilian World Cup and then sat back and watched the professionals create much and achieve nothing. Result 0-1.

So we have a record of under achievement and it might be "50 years of hurt" but I would be tempted to hang on to that one glimmer of success in 1966 and never expect any else. We are doomed!!! Doomed I say! Doomed.
Three Lions on their shirts and one in the lorry!

The lucky mascot on his way home.

THE PENALTY IS TO MISS YOUR PENALTY

I hope our tie against Iceland doesn't go to penalties; it shouldn't, should it? June is not a good month for English penalties you know.

In the 2004 World Cup in Portugal when we met the hosts in the quarter-final (24th June), Michael Owen scored in the 3rd minute of real time (it looked good), they equalised (oops) and they went ahead in extra time (oooops), only for Frank Lampard to equalise after 115 minutes (sound lad Frank). Sol Campbell had a goal controversially disallowed in the final minutes (disgrace).

This brought about the great David Beckham "slip" as he took our first penalty.

Remember when his left foot slid on the sandy turf and he sent the ball into orbit. The Portuguese also missed a kick so the score after 6 pens each was 5-5. Darius Vassell who replaced Rooney early in the game had his penalty saved by Ricardo Pereira, who then took a penalty himself and scored past opposite keeper, David James. The Portuguese got to the final and lost to Greece, a surprise finalist and champion.

Beckham also missed penalties against Turkey in October 2003. Seen this before somewhere?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL_gEn9xyV8
and v France in 2004 when Barthez saved.

Ricardo and his mates (Figo, Ronaldo, Deco etc) did the same to us in the World Cup quarter-finals in 2006 , beating us 1-3 on penalties after a 0-0 draw. This was game that saw Beckham leave the field early due to an injury and Wayne Rooney sent off for stamping on Carvahlo.

The "10 man English" battled bravely and held the Portuguese through extra time to 0-0. Lampard, Gerrard and Carragher missed their spot kicks and Sven's reign as England's manager ended after three consecutive failures at quarter-final stages in major tournaments. Fair enough! Not the greatest highlights here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZD89V5ARqE

MAN OF THE MATCH 1968

On Friday evening I was lucky enough, with my other half, to be invited to the "Dark side", yes Lanacashire, for a friend's retirement do at Stamford Golf Club. Peter Wood has been part of Hulme GS, Oldham since he was 11 years old, boy and man. A fit and well shaped 60 year old (or so) he is taking his teacher's pension and spending it on golf balls and visits to Diggle FC where he once graced the hallowed turf.

The party was fun and full of characters some of whom had played for the school side, for the Independent Schools' representative team and maybe even a step higher in non-league football.

I met an Old Hulme boy called Mark Aston, who was the master in Charge of Football at Bury GS when I ran football at Charterhouse. We had played against his team in the ISFA Cup and at other times. South did not meet North a lot, but on this occasion we were drawn away against Bury in the quarter-final of the cup in dark December. It was memorable! My son Matthew, as captain of the Charterhouse team, scored a goal and led his team to a squeaky 2-1 victory on a swampy pitch, partly covered by the previous night's snowfall. We lost the final! Prior to the Bury game we had beaten Queen Elizabeth's GS, Blackburn in the round of 16 and in their side was Chris Porter who has made his career as a professional. So we weren't a bad side, not that one makes a team!

Go to Greater Manchester and talk to somebody there about football and mention the name Aston and you will have to suffer a long diatribe about the famous son of Manchester United, Johnny Aston, This was Mark's DAD!!

A lean and clever footballer, Aston starred in the memorable 1968 European Cup Final played at Wembley against Benfica (Eusebio and all). Aston was given man of the match and I remember watching him fly down the wing setting up chances for his team mates, the likes of Bobby Charlton and George Best. So Mark has some DNA pedigree and he was a good player too making it into the ISFA U18 squad.

John, a winger, was part of the United youth system, making his debut in 1965 against Leicester City, after which he played for United 154 times with 25 goals. He then went to Luton Town (174-31 goals), Mansfield Town (31-4) and ended at Blackburn Rovers (15-2).

At United he won the European Cup, First Division Championship and played in the Charity Shield twice and the Intercontinental Cup Final. But he never played for his country. (The United European Champions team-Aston is back row second from left as you look at it)

Johnny's father, (Mark's grandfather) was  a left back (and sometime CF!!) who in the United youth system from 1939 and it took seven years for him to make his debut against Chelsea in 1946. He then played 284 times for United scoring 30 goals and post war won the FA Cup nullifying Stanley Matthews' and Blackpool in 1948.
He also won a First Division Championship medal and 17 England caps, including being part of the embarrassing loss to the USA in the 1950 World Cup. It wasn't his fault.

He suffered from tuberculosis in 1954 which ended his playing career, but John senior went on to coach at United and was chief scout under Wilf McGuinness and Frank O'Farrell.

At the turn of the 21st Century, John senior was the only living player to have played at all FOUR of United's "home" grounds. Can you name them? Careful!!
He died in 2003.

So, for me, it was a privilege to meet people with such illustrious connections to the great game. It was grand party and there is always something to help me write this blog!

SALTS SPA TWINS TOUR

One game in the final 16 of Euro2016 now gone and my prediction is jiggered as extra time has been played and Switzerland are out on penalties. The good news is that the officials are English and they had a good game.

England's base has been at Chantilly, which is twinned with an English Georgian Spa, Epsom where the salts come from. My mum swore by Epsom Salts, they were the answer to everything.

Recognised by the WHO Model List of Essential medicines MgSO4.7H20 is found emerging from a bitter saline spring at Epsom on the North Downs, where the porous Chalk strata meets impermeable clay, hence the spring and the settlement.

The salts are used in bath salts, muscle repairs, beauty treatment and removing splinters as well as in gardening. Here it is.....no sniffing!

Epsom, more famous for its racecourse, set on the wonderful chalky turf, benefitted from its fame as a spa and its Assembly rooms (now a pub) was where the punters came to take the medicine. The web tells me that Epsom's "clustered bulk" is between 35-70 metres above sea level. I had never heard of that phrase before but it means the centre of the "nucleated settlement"! Any the wiser?
Petula Clark was born there....that's better! No little "green men" around though.

Epsom is twinned with Chantilly (pop 11,000), so now you know where I am taking this. The two have race horses in common, where chevals enjoy the springy well drained turf. The town is set in the Paris Basin, well known for its chalk escarpments, but it is the local ferruginous water that has been tapped by the locals and bottled, thus making Chantilly a spa!
The painting "The Derby at Epsom" 1821 was paintd by a Frenchman Theodore Gericault-coincidence? Was he born in Chantilly? Too much to ask.

BUT Alfred Aston, 1912-2003, a French footballer in the 1934 and 1938 World Cup, was born there. He had an English father and French mum. More links. It's an omen.

Now, if you have a look at this wonderful website of Epsom and Ewell FC, a club that is on the Surrey/South-east non-league circuit, you will find out about  their recent "tour" to Chantilly and the fun they had with Roy and his boys. Good timing tour organiser, a coup. The club of course are known as the SALTS.
http://www.eefconline.co.uk/

I think their website is one of the best! Lots of fun and plenty of records, so well done E&EFC, a club I had the honour of visiting with Horsham and Lewes and I played a bit with the Crouch like Richard Parkin at Camberley Town and met Micky Stratford on the schools' coaching circuit!
ps Ewell is the place next door.
Trevor "Tosh" Chamberlain of Fulham fame and Ron "Chopper" Harris are associated with the suburb.

DAYTIME TV

With the Euro2016 on a day off yesterday and the successful EU OUT campaign affecting the £ today, what better way of calming the nerves than watching CBBC. Yes, I'm on to day time television but it's not "Homes under the Hammer" (Dion Dublin) or "Four in a Bed" (what is that all about?), I am watching "Jamie Johnson", a children's story about a young lad who has to go to a new school at 11 years old (about). His dad has "disappeared", his mum is a nurse and is starting a new relationship and his grandad used to play for the local "league" team's youth side.  Get it on Catch Up.

Jamie (played by Louis Dunn) supports the local team and if his tricks on screen are any thing to go by, he is quite a good little footballer. He might end up playing for them.

Anyway, it involves issues like starting at a new school, being befriended by the class "geek" Foggie and a girl! Girls's football. What could be worse. Does his stick with their loyalty or go with the footballing bullies?

PE teacher Brian Bovell is a typical Kes like character and there are cameos from Gary Lineker, Rudd Gullit and Roy Carroll. Roy is still knocking about at Notts County. How old is he? The series was filmed in Nottingham, so Roy was "on hand".

Us retired folk need to watch this short series based on a book written by FA editor Dan Freedman, for no particular reason other than it must be better than the EU debate.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/cbbc/group/b07gyw5v

Go on, make the most of your licence fee.

NEXT: ICELAND NIL POINTS

Iceland the land of volcanoes and ice have something in common with the England national team -son. All but one of their squad players are name with the ending "sson", the other one ends in -sen.
Our leader Roy is a -son too- got to be an omen.

This is not the reaction of an Icelander being confronted by one of these lady footy fans.
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/33867/10322569/icelands-late-winner-prompts-ecstatic-response-from-commentator
It's the reaction to Arnor Traustason's winner yesterday.
The females are good footballers too.

With a population of Coventry (approx 300,000), the Icelanders, quoted by Ronaldo as "having a small mentality" have put their fish diet to its best use and have brilliantly punched above their weight.

Five members of the English staff, including Gary Neville, went to watch Iceland play last night. Roy and Ray (Lewington) went to watch Hungary and Portugal.

Roy Hodgson has had a "Nordic experience" having coached in Finland and Sweden; he knows his stuff and he is getting fed up with the criticism he gets from the English public and press.

The Icelandic supporters spent 0.1% of their GDP on tickets for Euro2016, 27,000 in all turned out. Goal scorer Kari Arnason reckons he knew most of the Icelandic crowd in the Stade de France, St-Denis and was probably related to a good number of them. Being "English Football Crazy" they know a lot about the English game, but have they got anything left in the tank? The Englanders have had two days longer rest, so we would like to think they have a physical and mental advantage.

Goalie Hannes Hallorsson left the game to pursue another career path, directing the video for his country's 2012 Eurovision Song Contest. "Never Forget" came 20th with 46 points, so he would be happy to be back in football. England's entry "Love will set you free" came 25th with 12 points. A bad omen?

Of course not; England will win won't they; they will be joined by Switzerland, Croatia, Wales, Belgium, Germany, Spain and France.

Since we are in the region, Zlatan is on his way out of international football now that Sweden have gone home: here's a memory of him-of course it had to be against England. Wasn't that where Gary Lineker bailed out of international football too?
http://talksport.com/football/video-zlatan-ibrahimovic-retires-international-football-watch-one-greatest-goals-he-ever

ARGENTINA ON A ROLL; LAVEZZI TAKES A DIVE

The USA has broken records in their own country as they host the Copa America, They reached the semi-final of the Copa America Championship for the first time, but they met their match last night when Argentina beat them 4-0. Messi broke a national goal goalscoring record when he notched his fourth goal in the tournament and his 55th goal for Argentina, beating Gabriel Batistuta's total of 54 which has stood since 2002.

Messi is only 29 years old on Friday so there are a few more years left in the World's best player and more goals and assists to extend his record. You will note that he had a hand in the opening goal and scored from a free-kick.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWSVOcq-KMI

I have to say that even our boys could have scored those goals after hapless defending by the Yanks.

Messi team mate, Ezequiel Lavezzi, was not so lucky as he met his match when trying to chest control a ball. He stumbled backwards and went headlong over a hoarding. Were the advertising boards too close to the playing area?
The former Paris St Germain player has just signed for Chinese club Hebei China Fortune, but will not be starting his new season on time having broken his elbow.

Argentina have already beaten Chile 2-1 in the qualifying phase and then took on Panama winning 5-0, Bolivia 3-0 and Venezuela 4-1.

Chile eventually got on a hot streak, when they broke a championship record by beating Mexico 7-0 in the quarter-final.

Chile, the current champions, play their semi-final against Colombia.

Argentina have won the cup 14 times.

Lavezzi takes a dive.

I PUT IT DOWN TO THE SUSHI DIET

The world's oldest professional footballer, Kazuyoshi Miura, playing in the Japanese "J" league has recently scored a goal for his club at the age of 49, in his 31st season as a full time footballer. He signed a one year contract with Yokohama FC in 2015 at 48 years old.

Kazu took his chance in the 22nd minute, scoring for his club against FC Gifu in a recent 2nd Division match. His team lost 1-2. As a former international he has never played in the World Cup finals despite helping his country, known as the Blue Samurai, qualify for the France World Cup in 1998 by scoring 14 goals. He has played 89 times for his country and scored 55 goals.

After an attempt to play at a higher level in Brazil in the 1980s, he reached the dizzy heights of playing for Santos and then went back to Japan. He then played for Genoa (1994-5) and for Dinamo Zagreb (1999). After an unsuccessul trial with Bournemouth FC in 1999, he returned to Japan and then played in Sydney during 2005 before returning home. Watch this for his "famous" King Kazu dance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc-jholtjtg

Brazilian, Zico, is the oldest goal scorer in the Japanese 1st Division at 41 years 3 months and 12 days. Kazu is probably not going to beat this record as Yokohama are languishing at the bottom of Division 2 though he is easily old enough!

DODGIN DUTIES

Apologies to my loyal readers who have missed the daily blog over the weekend. I have been south to catch up with a new born grandson (first one). he has a high instep and the toe next to his big toe is just longer, so all the signs are he will be an athlete. So that is the good news.

More good news is that a good friend has supplied me with details of his father's sporting exploits during the War. Philip Hardstaff must have been quite a good goalkeeper in the 1940s and he was assigned to the Navy. Naturally sports were encouraged and since the chances of a goalkick staying on the boat deck were slim, the troops were given opportunities to play games whenever they docked. Games were set up between boat crews and against local dock staff. You could never be sure who you would be playing against or with.

Philip was part of the crew on the Holdfast, a cable laying vessel with only a dozen men who claimed to be footballers.
http://atlantic-cable.com/Cableships/Holdfast/index.htm
He remembers playing football against the Brylcreem boy, Denis Compton and captaining a cricket team including Trevor Bailey. Professionals would be posted to "cushy" locations where they might continue their interests and raise morale. Many took advantage of a sporting fixture to have a wager and used sport as an excused to miss a duty.

When Philip docked at Southampton he played at the Dell and made friends with their right winger Eric Day (see below), who worked on dock security. Eric played nearly 400 games for the Saints from 1945-57 and scored 145 career goals. He is the club's 7th all time goalscorer and represented the Third Division South league side.

On one occasion Bill Dodgin, then at Southampton, rang the docks and asked if Philip would play for him and despite being on duty, his captain kindly did a deal and let him play in exchange for a ticket to the game.

Whilst berthed in London  Philip played at the Boleyn ground and the Valley.

On a more exotic occasion he was on board the Worcestershire and played against some "locals"  on an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. They were barefooted but dextrous and gave a good account of themselves. Keep it on the island!
http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/856.html

This is a complete education you know; you never stop learning.

DUNGA OUT, USA IN ?

Well, I am no longer distracted by the progress of the English team in Euro16, we've won a game and as usual the lads kept us all on our toes until the final minutes before we could get out from behind the sofa and hold our heads high. Thank you Roy for making what were obvious substitutions.

Elsewhere favourite teams are falling by the wayside in America. The Brazilians are out of the South American Championships, the Copa America Centenario, held this time in the USA. The long standing "Best Nation in the World" failed to get through their group and manager and a national hero, Dunga, has been sacked. The 45th anniversary of this competition includes 10 teams from CONMEBOL (South America countries) and 6 from CONCACAF (Central and North America).

Massive stadia in the USA are hosting the matches and distances between locations are enormous. In Group A the USA and Colombia qualified, B Peru and Ecuador, C Mexico and Venezuela and D Argentina and Chile. The USA are already through to the next stage beating Ecuador in Seattle. From mountain to sea level!!

The South American Championship of Nationas is the World's oldest surviving international tournament. First held in 1910 in Buenos Aires with Brazil, Uruguay and Chile invited to take part. Brazil did not turn up! The home side won in the last group tie after the game had been postponed following the burning down of the Racing Club stand. They beat fierce rivals Uruguay 4-1.

The second championship was again held on Argentina in 1916 to celebrate the country's independence centenary. Uruguay won topping a 4 team league-Brazil did turn up. Many regard this as the first proper tournament.

Brazil did not take the earlier competitions seriously and then there were only two tournaments held between 1959 and 1975 when Brazil was particularly strong. Frequent brawls took place so organisers were not very keen to hold the competition. In 1959 ten players from Brazil and Uruguay ended up in hospital, inevitably these fights discouraged nations from taking part. In 1963 Bolivia hosted the competition at ridiculously high altitude and won unsurprisingly.

Since 1975 tournaments have been regularly held with guest additions from Central America, USA, South Korea and Japan. It is the mark of the USA's progress in SOCCER that we find them in the final stages of this year's competition and hosting it.

ST GEORGE AND THE DRAGON

International matches between England and Wales began in 1879 when a Welsh team visited the Kennington Oval to play England in what was the home country's 8th international match. The previous matches had been against Scotland (since 1872); England had won ONE match and drawn 2 being beaten by the canny Scots on the other meetings.

The first encounter with the Welsh resulted in a 2-1 win for England in front of around 200 people. One Old Carthusian called Parry played for England. From then, the meetings with the Welsh took place annually with breaks for the wars. The Home internationals stopped in 1984 so the next time the two countries met was in 2004-5 for a World Cup qualification and then in 2011 for a European Championships qualifier. Today is the next time the two came together.

So far England has won 66 and Drawn 21 ties.
England's overall international record is Won 545, Drawn 224, Goals For 2108 Against 947
Avergaing at 2.2-0.99. So today may prove to be a 2-1 win for England statistically.

Let's hope the best team wins! Aaaarggh

CHEWING TOBACCO AND SUGARY DRINKS DESERVE A DENTIST CHAIR.

Today is June 15th, the Euorpean Championships are on, it was an important day in English football. The English have a match against a home nation which ideally they have to win, having only drawn their first group game 1-1. Shearer scored after 23 minutes and the Swiss equalised late in the game (83 mins). Yes, it was 1996 and the English had drawn their opening fixture at Wembley on the 8th June.

The opposition in their second group match was Scotland and this again was at Wembley where a 76864 crowd watched Shearer (53 mins) and Gascoigne (79) score vital goals after David Seaman had earlier saved a MacAllister penalty. Gazza of course, scored the infamous "dentist chair" goal. The link is a little long and not such good quality but it does have Gazza at his wriggly best and shows his goal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33crdvFx1A8

If you think this is similar to our present plight, actually the 16th of coourse, then you may be right. Let's hope that Vardy is let loose on the Welsh, pumped up by his chewing tobacco and energy drink and not drug tested.

FULL HOUSES IN ICELAND

No excuses, this blog was written a while back...its been in the "pending box" for a while. I thought I would get rid of it on you.l Its your guess to put a date on it!

Today sees some of the less glamorous nations (apparently) play their group matches with Austria, Hungary and Iceland on stage along with the more favoured Portugal (only because they have Ronnie, oh and Carvalho (24 years old), Gomes (22), Mario (23) and Sanches (18). They think they have a golden future.

Austria play Hungary in the Hapsburg derby. Both teams were graced with being brought into the 20th century of football by Jimmy Hogan, who carried modern football from England into Europe and he created the Austrian 1930s Wunderteam and was credited with the success of magnificent Magyars. See this previous blog:
https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3994718670252035536#editor/target=post;postID=109555633184748897;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=2;src=postname

Austria has the fabulous Christian Fuchs of Leicester City in tow and Hungary has Gabor Kiraly-who? well he is the  40 year and 75 days old goalkeeper, once of Crystal Palace. The oldest ever to play in the tournament.

But it is towards the Arctic Circle that I look, to marvel at the development of football on an island that is mainly volcanoes and ice. Still regarded as minnows, with a country population of 325,000, Iceland (FSI) have recently jumped from FIFA rank 131 to 28 and the team faces Portugal this evening.

This improvement is the result of a 20 year project putting football on a pedestal alongside the many "World Strongest Man" titles that Iceland holds. There is not a lot else to do, so locals spend a lot of time body building and are regarded Giants, Their footballers also are gathering a reputation for themsleves and are a surprise addition to the Euro16. Their first major international tournament.

The project has provided places to play football especially during the winter. From 2000 indoor arenas known as Football Houses have been built, the first one at Keflavik near the capital's airport. There are now 7 full size "houses" and 4 half size ones with 100 artificial mini pitches where youngsters can learn and olders can play competitively.

Since the 1990s coaching has been promoted with 180+ UEFA A  and nearly 600 UEFA Bs. For every 500 Icelanders there is a qualified coach. In England the ratio is 10,000:1.

I could list the various players who have since gone abroad. 21 out of the 23 in the squad ply their trade across Europe but I would run out of space-too many letters. Gylfi Sigurosson of Swansea might ring a bell and so might Johann Gudmundsson with Charlton and Aron Gunnarsson on Cardiff's books. There are 70 Icelanders earning a living abroad, having developed their talents from the mainly semi-professional Icelandic league. Thanks to Football Houses, Icelandic football is on the way up.

VINTAGE CARR

Enough of the Euro16 for a moment, now that we have to wait until Thursday to see our boys blossom. and win those 3 points. Today the obituary of a classic "all rounder" Donald Carr was reported in the Telegraph and if you have the opportunity to read it all then do. There are many fine anecdotes.

I know we are talking about bygone days when true amateurs could mix it with the professionals and where double or even triple internationals were possible and would make headline news.

Who played football for Scotland and cricket for England? Dennis Law and Ted Dexter. Sorry!

Donald Carr was born in 1926 and went to Repton School in Derbyshire where he excelled in cricket and football. This school has produced a number of brilliant all rounders including CB Fry and when Charterhouse visited Repton or played them at soccer in Godalming, we knew we had a serious opposition. They were not on our cricket fixture card but we had played Repton at soccer since 1907 and in 1908 played them on December 22nd. When did term finish?
The Old Reptonians played the school first in 1880.

Carr left school in 1944 and joined the army in 1945. He managed to play cricket for Derbyshire, eventually taking a place at Worcester College Oxford in 1948.

Carr was once described as a batsman who remained "stronger on potential than achievement". That seems like a typical schoolmasterly kind comment and as for his captaincy, his reputation was such that he was better fitted to bear the blame; clearly a young man who was mature and prepared to stand up for his decisions and actions.

Carr played for  the Oxford University cricket team in 1949 through to 1951, being captain in 1950. He also played a full time winter sport, winning soccer Blues v Cambridge University  in 1950 (2-2) and 1951 (0-0), where he would have opposed anothere remarkable all rounder, Charterhouse's Peter May (PBHM). Carr also played for the famous amateurs Pegasus, winning the Amateur Cup Final with them at Wembley in 1951 (beating Bishop Auckland in front of 100,000) and 1953 (Harwich and Parkeston 6-0 also 100,000 in the crowd).

Cricket was his strength, he played for Derbyshire 1946-63, England twice and then became important in cricket administration with the MCC, being awarded an OBE in 1985.

Apolos for scruffy photo. You get the drift.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARM AND ARISE SIR ROD

I am just hoping that the dank cloud cover clears nefore this afternoon's garden party in the village, the band playing at the pub and the Sykes Cup third round tie at the cricket ground. Then it is the Northern Irish with a sumptious dinner afterwards. What a day! All we need is sunshine.

Happy Birthday mam (or marm) as we were told at Charterhouse when her Royal Highness and Phil visited the school as part of her patron's duties. I worked there for 40 years and we had the one visit, although prior to taht she had visited in the 1970s. On both occasions she came to open new buildings (no, she is not a janitor). Mrs Bailey was privileged to be chosen as one of the staff members to meet her so she had to get her "marms" right and courtsey.

So to help celebrate the occasion there are the Birthday Honours and I have been overlooked again. Hmm! But these haven't:
Rachel Anderson-first FIFA recognised football agent-services to equality. MBE
Marieanne Spacey-English Ladies Footbasll Assitant manager. MBE
Emma Hayes-Chelsea Ladies-MBE
Steve Gibson-Middlesbrougth FC and local industry and business. OBE
Alan Shearer-Football punditry and his Foundation. CBE
http://www.alanshearerfoundation.org.uk/
Anna Kessel-Sports' journalist and co-founder Women in Football. MBE

And finally, another great footballing legend Rod Stewart at 71, with 6 kids from two marriages, is awarded a Knighthood which he will wear well!

Rod is an very keen Celtic fan and Scot of course and has just moved from Wood House (once lived in by Winston Churchill) where Rod had a grass football pitch on site, to a new pad Durrington House in Essex, where he has got permission to build an astro pitch so long as it doesn't have floodlights. Rod is not up to playing now that his knees have "gone" but he does host matches for mates and enjoys the banter. No doubt his six kids will bring their mates round for a 6 a side.

XHAKA v XHAKA

Albania, 42nd in the FIFA rankings, play Switzerland (ranked 15th) today with the Xhaka brothers on opposite sides. Such is the complication of Europe, with cross border movements and nationality changes following migration. 

Taulant plays for Basel and is an Albanian international, whereas Granit has just signed for Arsenal and is "Swiss"! Their father originally lived in Albanian Kosovo when it was part of Yugoslavia in 1989 and fled to Switzerland having been a political prisoner for nearly four years in the late 1980s. There are over 20,000 Kosovans in Switzerland. Five other members of the Albanians side were born in Switzerland and four others grew up there.

The Albanian FA was founded in 1946 when they played their first official international against Yugoslavia. Since then progress has been slow but this is the first official football tournament for the Albanians who managed to beat Portugal in their qualification group, away 0-1. Other countries they had to overcome in qualifying were Armenia, Serbia and Denmark, no mean feat. They have also recently beaten France in a friendly. 

In their Euro 16 group they also have to face France (17th)  again and Romania (22nd). Needless to say there will be more Swiss supporters in the crowd at Lens than Albanians, but a decent percentage of Albanians will have travelled from nearby European countries where they have now settled since the troubles. 

The other "low" ranked qualifier is Iceland, 34th.  The Icelandic national side first played an official game in 1930, against the Faroe Islands and have qualified for Euro16 coming second to the Czech Republic, and above Turkey, Latvia, Kazakhstan and amazingly beating the Netherlands twice, 2-0 and 1-0.

The Netherlands ranked 14th in FIFA were probably the most surprising omission from the tournament. Other notables having a rest this summer  are Bosnia 21st, Denmark 38th, Greece 40th and Scotland 43rd.

CUISINE, CONCOCTIONS AND CULTURE

When I was just about to write about the meals that the English team chef  Tim De'Ath was preparing for the meals, I decided that I would be making obvious statements such as "Is that a name that promotes confidence in the team?"

The French have also dented my confidence in writing again about mascots when I cheerfully wrote about the French mascot Super Victor, a cheery young lad with 16 on the front of his shirt and a ball in his hand.

It appears that the mascot shares his name with a giant sex aid. If you Google Super Victor Toy when you want to buy a memorable present for your young son then you will be surprised with the result. The name was chosen through a uefa.com poll, winning 47% of the votes beating Goalix (see English mascot in past) and Driblou, a name which doesn't fill me with confidence either. Since there is an Erotic Shop in Chantilly, our boys may find a gadget called Driblou displayed in the window.

Let me bring you back to earth although you only have a few two days to try this out. If you live in London and know where Hoxton is, then go visit the Patterns of Play exhibition which celebrates artists and football themed work. Try the link and go to shop:-

http://www.patternsofplay.co.uk/groupstage/

Sorry its a bit late but maybe there will be another showing and you can buy online.

Let the games begin.

CLUBS OR HUBS

I read in the Telegraph today a piece entitled "The French example that the English will never follow". This was bringing to our attention that Clairefontaine is not only the home of the France national team but also serves as the French Football Federation's Academy for the Ile de France, that is the Paris region, where 23 young, selected footballers "board" from 13 years old for two years and get an "education". At this "school" they train daily, live a controlled life and are schooled at nearby Rambouillet where they are encouraged to gain the Baccalaureat. The education is paid for. At weekends and for school holidays they go home and join their "home" clubs.

There are 11 other elite "regional hubs" serving other areas of the vast country, which is 37% bigger in area than England. The system was founded in 1988.

The article says that the Premier League would never countenance the FA hot housing our best young talent at St George's Park, near Burton, let alone in a series of regional hubs. Unsurprisingly, the idea has worked so well for the French that all 23 graduates from this year's Paris "academy" have been taken on by professional clubs. The historic list of alumni is long and impressive.

This appears to be a more grown up approach to developing our the best young footballers than the present English rapid and sometimes desperate pursuit of young talent by our home clubs.

BUT the FA had one of these academies at Lilleshall, founded in 1984, set in a stately home with appropriate conversions both to the "boarding accommodation and the surrounding landscape". It is located in Shropshire, not far from St George's Park, ironically. The academy provided a massive opportunity for the chosen few but in turn presented all sorts of issues to the young starlets, one of whom was Jermaine Defoe, who is still playing of course. Defoe is the only one of 16 "graduates" who passed out in the last year of the experiment in 1999, to play top grade football.

Living in an academy, away from home and in boarding accommodation has its challenges, though one lad was quoted, saying that the local girls at the nearby school attended by the boys, were fascinated by this intake of new teenagers, so the lads had their pick. It wasn't all bad then.

Of the 234 young footballers who passed through Lilleshall over its 15 years, few made it to the top flight. Sol Campbell, Joe Cole, Andy Cole, Jamie Carragher, Scott Parker, Nicky Barmby, Ian Walker and Michael Owen present an impressive short list, however and I suppose this select few is not a bad return, but the French appear to have done it better.

Steven Gerrard was overlooked because of his physique and of course teenagers develop at different rates, both physically and mentally, especially between the ages of 14-16.

The boys that made it had provided the best coaches, physios, food, habits, kit and equipment and discipline. They wanted for nothing.

The FA Technical Director at the time of the school's closure, Howard Wilkinson, regarded Lilleshall as too elitist and he had a vision of each club having their own academy (which has happened), trusting the coaches at each club to do the right thing. The FA trickles down information to the clubs anyway and this is disseminated to their boys and girls through qualified coaches at the FA Coaches' Association. It is not as perfect as it seems however as many clubs are more interested in rapid returns rather than naturing talent. You could name those clubs that are well known for there youth development programmes.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/mihirbose/2008/02/post_10.html

MASCOT MUST CUT THE MOUTARDE

Not that I am counting daily, but I think I broke a daily record of hits yesterday and that must have been thanks to my Walking Football buddies from Penistone Church WFC (W = Walking that is) who may have thought they were being part of a viral blog. No chance.

We don't have a mascot as such, although one or two of the chaps could possibly put themselves forward.

When I played in the Collyers GS 1st XI in Horsham, we had a mascot, Woofles, that lived in the goal net behind goalie Doughy Baker. We didn't need help actually, we were very good and Doughy, a solid guardian in nets. But you know what kids are like, anything to help explain a defeat. "Woofles was facing the wrong way", "Who left him in the coach?", "Did the ball hit him and bounce out?".

The French Cockerel "Balthazar", a long time mascot of the French football team, is banned from this tournament "for security reasons". You would think that with the deployment of every French security person capable of walking, a friendly cock wouldn't cause much stress. As its owner, who has exposed the beast since France's 1998 World Cup win, said, "My cock's part of French legend"...quite right mon ami.

So why the much publicised English mascot, Leo in France? Well, it is there to create a bit of a distraction for the squad who are in danger of getting bored in their £500 a night hotel. It will cause much amusement when the captain announces daily which member of the squad has earned the right to "babysit" it through some horrendous error. A penalty miss maybe, or diving header own goal?

On school tours, there is always need for a mascot or a forfeit sometimes known as "Dick of the Day". Yes, some poor chap has made a crucial mistake, un faux pas or similar during the day, so he has to wear the gaudy Hawaiian, nasty shirt that hasn't been washed since the beginning of the cricket tour and was last worn by the teacher-scorer, weighing in at 16 stone, 40+ years old and sweating like a tropper in a badly air conditioned score box. Not good.

Our local football team, Hepworth United (Open Age) has a "Godiva" award for the lad who has made the biggest "cock up" during the season. It is based over about 9 months, so there is plenty of scope for a belting mess up. This year the lad who failed to score a goal in any match, by tradition, walked naked from the local pub in the village, where a few beers had been consumed, to the pitch on the outskirts of the settlement; he was allowed a ruck sack to put his clothes in! Much mirth in the Pennines.

The British Lions of course have their Lion mascot (carried by the youngest squad member all the time), the Tour De France also presents a Lion to every stage winner. So far it is Chris Smalling who carried Leo. Nobody was on hand to explain why he had the honour, but the jape is to "kidnap" the mascot in which case the "babysitter" has to deal with another more embarrassing forfeit.

Actually there are three Lions of course and Leo is the larger one. Not quite sure what happe3ns to the two spares-the local school children were amused by

This year Super Victor is the mascot (emblem) for the French Euro Championships; do you remember World Cup Willie in 1966 or Goaliath in  our 1996 Euro? Willie worked, Goaliath nearly did.

Dean Ashton, briefly a member of the England squad from 2006 who only managed one international appearance, said that in his time there were dreadful "cliques" in the camp and some senior players never spoke to him. Small "club" groups formed and at meal times so there was little cameraderie in the camp. Dan Ashworth (not to be confused with Dean) the FA's director of Elite development is sent by the FA to keep an eye on Roy. Ashworth is acting like a "mascot", keeping an eye on the manager and the way the English perform in France and presumably making sure there are no huddles.

Perhaps Leo, Roy and Wayne and the many other back room staff will get that right this time round.

LOCKED OUT OR LOCKED IN; WITH AND WITHOUT A KEY

We were locked out of our Walking Football pitch today. A small and unperfectly formed bunch of chaps and a young girl along with her dad, rocked up at 4pm but there was no key to unlock the astro. Did anyone consider playing on the little recreation area next to the ground? I think it was a bit humid, warm and perhaps a day off wouldn't go amiss; looking for excuses, surely not?

In January 2015 the away end at Kingfield the home of Woking FC in the Conference was put under unnecessary pressure. It could only hold 1,800 Bristol Rovers fans but Rovers had just come from the Football League and hence had a large following making the journey along the M4. Woking appeared unprepared for the onslaught and so hundreds of away fans were locked out of the Chris Lane Terrace. Result? No bad behaviour, some fed up Pirates but it was a 0-0 draw....so not much missed. Woking did make a public apology.

Salisbury City in 2014, Hull City FC in 2000 and Hull United AFC (2015) have all had rental disagreements with their ground owners in recent years and so have not been allowed to use the stadium until new arrangements have been made and debts paid. Coventry City experienced a similar lock out of the Ricoh, over their failure to pay ACL, the stadium owners, appropriate rent. We know what happened to them in 2013.

On a positive note, in 1917, the Munitionettes were women who worked in the armament factories and in the north-east of England and Ladies Football teams were playing cup matches, when due to the war, little serious football was played. So many were eager to see the spectacle that hundreds of "voyeurs" were locked out of the grounds. Bella Raey was a super star who made her name during this period.
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/bella-centre-forward.html

Dick Kerr introduced his Ladies team  (see below) that toured the country giving exhibition matches in the 1920s. On Boxing Day 1920, 54,000 went to Goodison to see the Ladies play and needless to say many were disappointed as the gates closed at capacity, leaving many chomping at the bit outside.

Alternatively the referee at a Turkish League game, Cagatay Sahan, failed to give Trabzonspor a penalty awhen the score was 2-2 at the end of an important match against rivals Gazientespor. He was encouraged by the police to stay in his changing room and not come out until it was safe. He stayed there for several hours until the trouble died down.

I have also been part of a fairly serious team that was kept by its manager in the away changing room for "too long" as he let his feelings felt about our performance on the pitch that afternoon. I know who felt better afterwards! The local caretaker wanted to clean it but couldn't get in.

CHANTILLY LACE WHAT A FACE, PONY TAIL HANGING DOWN, A WIGGLE.......

Whilst The Hepworth United Juniors and Open Age Football Club is still waiting for its new club house to be built and for the "other" pitch that turns into a river when it rains to be drained properly, the FA is cutting no corners in its attempt to win the Euro 2016, by spending large numbers of ££££s.

Flying off from Luton Airport was hardly salubrious and suggests a cheap deal with an airline but arriving in their base for the next few weeks at Chantilly (yes there is a song about "lace" and something about cream) investment has been thorough. Chantilly is twinned with Epsom. There is a race day on June 19, known as the Prix de Diane. It must be an omen and hopefully a "rest day" for our boys.

When England's plane drops into Chantilly airport, the Mayor and local schoolchildren will be on site to sing God Save the Queen as a greeting. After all, this few weeks will generate loads of money for the local economy. I wonder if the song will ever be mentioned?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b-by5e4saI

Chantilly is a small town with a population of 11,000, it is 25 miles from Paris and half an hour from the main airport, Charles de Gaulle, whose feelings about the English were often made public and so might stir the loins of our players, if any of them have done a bit of GCSE History. The racing tradition came from the English too, who in the 1830s brought horseracing to the town and inhabited it to the tune of 2,000 English at its peak. Inevitably they formed the football team in 1902.

YOU SEE there's a link coming up here with Belper Town FC. (now my historic researcher in Ockbrook, Derbyshire told me more about the nails. He says that nail making lasted a bit longer than I suggested yesterday. Women and children worked in Strutt's Mill and men made nails in cottages nearby, a settlement made part of Derby's World Heritage Site. It's great innit.) The link? Oh yes, nails, horse shoes.....

There is a large racehorse community nearby and its famous race course, the Hippodrome, where Wayne is welcome to chat to the professionals about why his three race horses have underperformed so far. One of them apparently having psychological issues.

There are various tourist facilities in the small town, such as an Erotic shop, La Fromagerie which has made a cheese especially designed for the English, which looks like a football pitch-so it is "green".
The English Shop/Cafe selling English "ware", papers, digestives and serving English breakfast (not allowed), scones and tea (not allowed) will make the chaps feel at home (possibly). A French waitress, at the cafe, 29 year old Julie is hooked up to a local lad who likes Manchester United, so she wants to "do Wayne and Chris a few favours" during their stay. Steady...

Roy trusts his boys and wants his players to feel that there is a real world still outside the tournament, so they can relax without 24-7 football being shoved down their throats. The local golf course has hosted the French Open 10 times, the Chateau has the largest collection of Old Masters outside the Louvre, so with the youngest English squad in the area, maybe there is a hint of omen here too. I am snatching at straws I know and I dont' suppose for one moment the chaps will go visit the "gallery".

The Auberge du Jeu de Paume (Hotel) at £500 per night will provide Roy's delicate squad with even more of their needs. All 92 rooms have been booked by the FA for the "duration", so there is no excuse. A two star Michelin restaurant and spa forms a solid base from which to prepare for football, although of course, they won't be allowed anywhere near the spa prior to a game and it's ice baths afterwards, although a steam room might just be the ticket between matches.

The practice facilities at the Stade des Bourgognes, the ground of local amateur side, US Chantilly, have been upgraded. A new pitch has been laid to replicate the superb playing surfaces at their group venues, and two English groundsmen have been sent out to oversee preparation and repair. This of course rings bells of "legacy" as US Chantilly will inherit these improvement once the English head home.

Meanwhile, HUFC, old and young, male and female, play on dodgy surfaces with no changing facilities or refreshments. Not even a tap! We have got17 teams though.......

ps https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeu_de_paume  Auberge means "inn". The Jeu de Paume is a "palm game". A tennis like game played with the hand (like "fives") and then adapted to a racket, similar to modern day racquets or even real tennis, originated in France.

More about food tomorrow.

BELPER MIGHT HAVE BEEN A BELTER

This post number 651. I wonder if there is anyone out there who can claim to reading them all? I was drinking many real ales in an ale house, The Brunswick Inn, in the "heritage sector" near Derby Station last evening. My dear wife had a school reunion and a good friend of hers (ours) introduced me to an old school buddy of his who had played some serious football and cricket in the region. I am hoping he might get in touch and give me a few ideas from his knowledge of football, so I can expand my research and give him a mention.

Travelling from South Yorkshire through the eastern Peak District to Derby took us past a few quaint villages and towns; Eyam ( I did a blog on Eyam http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/a-plague-on-you.html), Matlock and the Spa, Cromford and so on. It was Belper that attracted me as I neared Derby. I saw substantial floodlights and a proper football stadium. Bliss!

Belper FC was founded in 1883 and now play in the Northern Counties Division One South. This season they came 13th.

In 1887, probably the club's most notable match was played against Sheffield Wednesday in the 1st round proper of the FA Cup, losing by a creditable 2-3 scoreline. To put this into perspective, the Old Carthusians (a bunch of posh old school boys!!) were eventually knocked out of the FA Cup that season by WBA, the eventual winners, in Rd 6! Wednesday lost to Preston in the same round. Preston NE also got to the final.

Belper has not ventured further in the Cup than this, but they did reach the semi-final of the FA Vase in 1994-5, losing to Oxford City.

Over the years the club has "folded" three times and most recently reformed in 1951 taking over land from the Tootal Group (remember Tootal ties?) and building the ground at Christchurch Meadow now with the Marston's name emblazened. Good sponsorship move!
The club moved into the Central Alliance League when Mansfield Town "A". They then moved into the Midland Counties League three years later.

Belper FC are known as the Nailers. John of Gaunt's hunting lodge was nearby where the club originated and needless to say the punters (or hunters) needed nails for their horses, which were forged nearby. With industrialisation, the demand for nails was soon solved by mechanisation and so the local "production line" collapsed.

Recently the club has had its ups and down getting to the league play offs in 2013-14 only to be relegated the following season. To cheer themselves up they posted a "Special" match for the club against Real Madrid last April only to be found out that this was an April Fools' prank. What lads they are in Belper, eh? Good beer though. The beer in the Brunswick was a bit more interesting than Marstons!

NOT THE WORLD CUP

Some of my readers are retired gentlemen who usually have three hours free during the day to listen to the radio. My friend Lew in Taunton is one and he and I listened to "Not the World Cup" on Radio 4 Extra this morning. There were a series of radio snippets, specially prepared or recovered from the BBC archives, about the great game. And the World Cup (nor the Euros) were mentioned with any purpose. It was a celebration of the not-so glamorous side of the beautiful game.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0499kgw

The last piece featured Terry and Bob, the Likely Lads, trying to avoid finding out the score of the Bulgaria v England international in Sofia. OK don't be put off by this, for there were other little gems including a John Motson piece, Charlotte Green's dulcet tones, JB Priestly chatting about the game and something about a 75 year old footballer, still playing 3 times a week. There's hope for us all.

And now, I am off to Oakwell to watch one of the Hepworth United Junior Girls have a trial at Barnsley FC. What a life.

GAME OF CARDS

Ken Aston was a well thought of English referee who had the misfortune to adjudicate the "Battle of Santiago" in 1962 when Chile and Italy came to blows in a World Cup tie. Ken retired in 1963 having done an FA Cup Final and then was asked by FIFA to be in charge of the World Cup 1966 refereeing. It was not long before he had to witness the England-Argentina quarter-final tie when Antonio Rattin was sent off for "violence of the tongue" amongst other things. The German referee at Wembley that afternoon spoke no Argentinian (Spanish) and of course Rattin had no German. Aston had to come down from the stands, where he was sitting with other officials, to encourage Rattin off the field before a major incident occurred. (see below)

Bobby and Jack Charlton found out the next day that they too had been in the ref's bad books and had apparently been cautioned. They did not know this at the time. Aston reckoned it was time for better forms of communication on the field.

When Aston was driving home one day he was stopped by a "red traffic light" and of course it had gone through the "amber" phase. He thought it a good idea to visualise punishments but it took several years for the use of cards to be accepted. Aston introduced the Red and Yellow cards at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.  USSR Evegeny Lovchev was the first player to receive a yellow when he was cautioned on May 31st, during the opening match. It worked there were no sendings off at all during the tournament.

GETTING A BETTER VIEW

Typically it is the Germans who have produced a football (or any other activity) stadium that will not take up too much space around it (peoples' homes and businesses), has good sightlines and will allow over 95% spectators to be within 50 metres of the action.

The Suprastadio "folds back on itself" as the number of tiers increases. The German Interpol Studios' architectural division's design takes up one third less space than conventional stadia. The wave like shape traps sound, amplifies noise and is cheaper to run. It can be built as a enclosed arena or as individual grandstands at no extra cost. It will meet health and safety standards and complies with the UK Sports' Ground "green" guide. With new stadia in the pipeline contracts cannot be far away from Interpol Studios.

On the other hand the doyen of football stadia was Archibald "Archie" Leitch, a Scot, born in 1865, was trained as a consulting engineer and factory architect. He died in 1939 leaving behind a substantial legacy all over Britain, where his stadia stand out with typical style. In his obituary there was no mention of his buildings. In 1922, 16 out of the 22 First Division Stadia were his and in 1931 you would have a 1:3 chance of watching football in a Leitch stadium anyway in Britain. His company was quick and cheap, cornering the market in ground building at that time.


The list of his work stretches from Ibrox and Hampden in Scotland to Windsor Park and Dalymount in Ireland and Sunderland to Fulham (see below). The last remaining Leitch standing terrace was knocked down when Saltergate, Chesterfield's old ground was demolished in the 1950s.  His "company" built the Mayflower Stand at Home Park, Plymouth in his style.


One blotch on his reputation was the Ibrox disaster in 1902 when a terrace collapsed during the Auld Enemy match causing several deaths. Despite this he persuaded Rangers to re-employ him to put the matter right. He changed the structure of the terracing getting rid of wooden barriers and floors and replacing them with tubular steel fixed into concrete standing on raised banks.

When the Taylor Report emerged in 1989 after Hillsborough, things changed and as clubs modernised many of Leitch's stands were demolished. Fulham's Johnny Haynes' Stand and the fabulous Cottage remain, being Grade II listed buildings and having been lovingly restored.


With Everton and Tottenham looking to rebuild, they may not call on Leitch's ideas and might rely on the Germans.

You will find examples of Leitch's work in the National Football Museums in Manchester and at Hampden.