WHISKY AND CHEESE

Club Atlas was founded in a bar in Guadalajara, Mexico, where a few British friends recalled their football experience at the English "public school" Ampleforth College, where they had spent a few years. FC Atlas was founded by three Old Amplefordians (old boys) in 1916 upon returning home to Mexico. Los Zorros-The Foxes, now fly the Ampleforth flag in the 55,000 seat stadium, and take their colours from the original OAFC football colours. Red for the blood of St Laurence, Black for his martyrdom.

The Ampleforth College XI 1902-3.

Alfonso and Juan José "Lico" Cortina, Pedro "Perico" and Carlos Fernández del , the three Orendain brothers and Federico Collignon (who had studied in Berlin) finally decided in 1916 to set up a football team called "Club Atlas" and founded it in Guadalajara.

The technical ability that the "Atlistas" employed – triangular passing and skillful dribbling to avoid opponents' tackles – this was impressive and they quickly joined the elite in Mexican football. As a result, Atlas and Chivas (drink?? actually means "goat"), a fellow Guadalajara team, have a long history in the first division and the game between them is called the 'Clásico Tapatío'. (tapatio refers to someone from downtown Guadalajara-Mexico's second largest city MAP!!-there is also a hot sauce brewed in California)

Club Atlas had a golden age in the late 1990s under the management of Ricardo la Volpe with many promising players but even though they had a team with enormous talent and reached the Verano 1999 Final, they couldn't beat Deportivo Toluca FC in a match decided by penalties.

Atlas had not won a championship since 1951, having a 70-year title drought until 12 December 2021 where they defeated Club Leon at the Estadio Jalisco via penalties. In Liga MX's Apertura play-off final, Club Atlas defeated Leon in front of a 50,000 crowd. A giant flag of a fox clawing at the trophy was on show from the start of the game. The Atlas club is known as Los Zorros, The Foxes.

The players opened a vintage bottle of whisky given to them in 1951, when they won the club's previous title, coincidently, the year that Spurs won the English First Division. Remember Spurs also won The Double in 1960-1. 

Both clubs, Atlas and Spurs, now have TWO "Premier" titles to their name. For Spurs to match the Atlas whiskey celebration, the club's top brass might have to wait a long time on present form, but should they eventually top the PL, they may be obliged to celebrate in the Spurs' Cheese Room at their new stadium. 

In a stomach-churning blow to fans of the north London club, the infamous ‘Cheese Room’ appears to be no longer part of the stadium's catering. It was claimed in January 2017 that the stadium would include a fromagerie for clients “to select their own specially sourced half-time cheeses”. But now the club has confirmed, gratingly, that those plans have melted away. I think the catering department reckoned that by the time the club won its next Premier League title, they could be offering some very mature cheddars. 

35 Football League and FA Cup matches played on Saturday 30th January 1937 ended in 25 home wins and 10 draws - not one away win!

On only two occasions in the history of Sunderland Association Football Club has the team lifted the FA Cup. 1937 and 1973.

On 30th January 1937, a Saturday, there were 16 FA Cup ties in Round 4. Only one tie  involved two top-ten First Division clubs, with 6th place Derby County playing a comfortable 3-0 win over 3rd place Brentford. Other First Division match-ups in the Cup included 15th place Preston North End hammering 14th place Stoke City 5-1, 10th place Everton beating 19th place Sheffield Wednesday 3-0, and 1st place Arsenal crushing 22nd place Manchester United, 5-0. Both Sheffield Wednesday and Manchester United were relegated at the end of the season. Arsenal's margin of victory was the biggest in the Cup that day, but was both matched and exceeded in Division Two games, where Blackburn beat Newcastle 6-1 and, in the day's most lopsided result, Blackpool thumped Bradford Park Avenue, 6-0.

Meanwhile, Luton Town provided the Cup's shock of the day, as the Third Division South side held reigning League Champions, Sunderland to a 2-2 draw.  Sunderland won the replay at Roker Park, 3-1.

Two other Third Division South teams provided upsets, as Millwall defeated First Division Chelsea 3-0 and Exeter City beat Second Division Leicester City 3-1. Exeter's victory looked even more impressive at the end of the season, as Leicester won the Second Division, while Exeter finished 21st in the Third Division South.

Four Cup matches went to replays, including York City's scoreless (yes 0-0) draw at Swansea. It was part of a pattern for York, who had earned home replays in the two previous rounds. But the pattern broke with Swansea, who won the replay at York, 1-3. 

In fact, visiting teams won three of the four replays for that round, with the only exception being Sunderland's 3-1 victory over Luton Town. 

Sunderland went on to win the FA Cup that year, beating Wolves in Rd 6 after  a 1-1 draw, then 2-2 and 4-0 eventually. They then beat Millwall (the first Third Division side in history in the semi-final) 2-1 and Preston North End in the Final 3-1. Preston went ahead by half time but Raich scored after Gurney's opener and Burbanks made it 3.

Preston beat Newcastle Utd 2-0, Stoke City (see above), Exeter City 5-3 at home, Spurs away 1-3 in Rd 6, West Brom 4-1 on a semi-final neutral ground on their way to the final. 

Horatio Raich Stratton Carter, who captained Sunderland, was only 23 years old and an England international, married his fiancee, Rosie, on the last Monday of April 1937. He saw her again (for any decent length of time!!) on Saturday May 1st at Wembley, when he ascended the steps to the Royal Box to receive his medal from the Queen, who was in her Coronation year. Below King George VI and Queen Elizabeth and that looks like Sir Stanley Rous (FA Secretary 1934-62), on photo, between the Cup and Raich. Rous refereed the 1934 FA Cup Final.

DIAGONALLY OPPOSITE-340 miles apart!

Since it's January 29th, this is not entirely an original blog (part previously published a while back) but the programme cover should be interesting enough  to get your juices flowing. Try to find a date, fixture, reference to the FA Cup.......on it! Can't?? It's Jan 29th 1949-worth 2d (two pence) every penny!

73 years ago, on January 29th 1949, lounging mid-table in the Southern League, Somerset based, Yeovil Town, beat the "mighty" Sunderland AFC, 2-1, on the Town's famously sloping, Huish Athletic Ground pitch.  It was an FA Cup Round 4 tie. 

Sunderland with many fine players were known at the time, as the "Bank of England club " due to their spending and wages. Len Shackleton bought for £20,500 (a lot in those days), was their gold star player, whereas,Yeovil's goalkeeper was making his first appearance. Yeovil playing "mind games" would not allow their famous visitors to train on the sloping pitch before the game.

Yeovil, known as The Glovers, completed this giant killing with 10 fit players, when winger, Jack Hargreaves, was injured after only 10 minutes from the start of the game. There were no subs in those days, so the crowd of 17,123 saw Yeovil score through player-manager Alec Stock-see below, (after 28 mins) and then Eric Bryant in "extra-time", (105 minutes), while Sunderland could only manage a goal from Jackie Robinson (62 mins). Video below!

The game had to be finished on the day due to fuel shortages, following the War, so there was only extra time offered by the FA on the day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQjSOW8V330

On the anniversary day of this cup feat in 2009, an attempt to celebrate the Sunderland cup victory was postponed by the Huish waterlogged pitch, despite past and present players making themsleves available.  Some more words about Yeovil.

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/3994718670252035536/3007359597786321804

Yeovil Town FC, previously as a "non-league" club, has beaten 20 Football League clubs in the FA Cup-a record. The club joined the Football League in 2003. 

On their way to the Sunderland fixture, Yeovil had beaten Lovell's Athletic away 2-3 (FA Cup Qual Rd 4) having been 2-0 down at half time. Then Romford 4-0 at home (R1 Proper), then Weymouth away 0-4 (R2), followed by Bury FC, a club near the top of the Second Division at the time, 3-1 at home, in Rd3. Then came Rd4.

In the 5th Round Yeovil drew Manchester United at Maine Road (played there due to war damage at Old Trafford) and lost 0-8. 80,000 turned up to see this. United lost in the semi-final to Wolves after a replay. The Wolves beat Leicester in the Final 3-1.

(In 2017-18 in the FA Cup Rd 4 Yeovil Town met Man Utd again at home losing 0-4)

Alec Stock played 30 times for QPR before the war and then managed clubs in over 1600 games, from 1946 to 1980. He was born in Peasdown St John, in Somerset. No wonder then, he spent his first 3 years playing and managing at Yeovil. Stock later looked after Leyton Orient (10 yrs), AS Roma (briefly), QPR (9yrs), Luton, Fulham, QPR again and Bournemouth. Alec is shown below.....

Ron Manager, on the Fast Show and acted by Paul Whitehouse is based on Stock. (a remarkable likeness) See this.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NeRoSFZWbs

and as bonus during "lockin", "lockup", "lockdown" have a laugh!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PigM5UmqmY

Len Shackleton, international, celebrity, showman, rebel, eccentric, brilliant! ...but was robbed in possession by Stock, who made the incisive pass to colleague Bryant who put the Glovers into the next round.

Today, Yeovil visit Woking in the Vanarama National League and Sunderland (presently second in Football League Division One) are losing at Bolton.

THE GREEN CAPE

In the news from the African Nations' Cup, Cape Verde is a country named after the Cap-Vert peninsula, on the Senegalese coast of North Africa (16deg North: 23deg West). The name Cap-Vert, in turn, is Portuguese, Cabo Verde ('green cape'), the name that Portuguese explorers gave the cape in 1444, as they explored the islands. The islands lie approx. 350 miles off the west African coast. Its climate is sub-tropical with a low rainfall and temperatures around 25 deg C all year. The best time to visit in during the "winter"-Nov-June.

On 24 October 2013, the country's delegation to the United Nations informed it that other countries should no longer use Cape Verde or any other translations of Cabo Verde as part of its official name: all countries should use Republic of Cabo Verde as the country's official name. Speakers of English have used the name Cape Verde for the archipelago and country since its independence in 1975.  In 2013, the Cape Verdean government determined that it would use the Portuguese name Cabo Verde for official purposes.

I

Praia (Pop: approx 120,000) is the capital on Santiago Island. There is a national population of around 480,000.

The Cape Verde national football team (FIFA Rank 73rd) is nicknamed either the Tubarões Azuis (Blue Sharks) or Crioulos (Creoles-and the nation speaks the Creole language). The team has played at three African Nations Cup Football in 2013, 2015, 2021. The country is closely associated with Portugual and is financially and politically associated with Europe and some African countries. There are volcanic and limestone minerals, wines, fish, reasonable agriculture, a developed airport, and therefore tourism and considerable imported foodstuffs.

In the recent African Cup of Nations: 

In Group, Second place: second to Cameroon 1-1 and better than Mozambique and Ethiopia

Played 6, won 2 Drawn 4 Lost 0: For 6 Against 3.

In the Rd of 16 lost to Senegal 2-0.

Roberto Lopes (born in Crumlin, Dublin, Eire; June 1992), with a CV father and Irish mother, he is also known as Pico, is a Cape Verdean professional footballer who currently plays as a defender for Shamrock Rovers.

PAUL PITCHING IN

England C (sometimes known as the Non-League Lions) and Wales C will meet for a third International Challenge Match at The Oval – the home of Caernarfon Town. The fixture will take place on Wednesday, March 30 with a 7pm kick off.

England C, first played in 1979, has  manager, Paul Fairclough (below), who believes his Non-League’s Lions will show they have technical talent when they take on Wales C this month.

Do you know his "footballing history"?

Fairclough has named his 16-man squad for the clash at Caernarfon Town on March 24 with 11 new faces hoping to make their international debuts. Clubs involved are:
Barrow FC flying high at the top of the National League and they will have three representatives in Josh Kay, Lewis Hardcastle and Patrick Brough.
Boreham Wood also have a treble tops with top scorer Kabongo Tshimanga, Sorba Thomas and highly-rated right-back Kane Smith – who has been selected before but missed out through injury – all getting the nod.
There are also first call-ups for Kidderminster Harriers’, Sam Austin, Barnet striker Josh Walker, Chesterfield’s Liam Mandeville, Harrogate’s Will Smith, Sutton Utd defender Ben Goodliffe and Oxford City goalkeeper Craig King.

This is the third instalment of games between these two rivals since Wales C, made up of Welsh Premier League players, formed in 2018.

England won in Barry 3-2 first up and then drew 2-2 at Salford City FC (below), last season.                  

Kurt Willoughby scored a free-kick in that game and he returns after also leading the line against Estonia last summer.
Hartlepool keeper Ben Killip continues his run as England’s No.1, while Gateshead midfielder Greg Olley returns along with Barnet’s Wes Fonguck. (yes no spelling error)

“It’s a very talented group of players,” Fairclough said. “Hopefully they all stay injury free between now and then bit I’m really excited about working with this group. It’s very talented.
“Some of the regulars are being rewarded for their good work at their clubs with another international cap. The others we’ve identified as being real quality.

“Wales are an open age group but the English agenda is a bit different. We want to win, of course we do and the group I’ve picked are winners, but it’s an opportunity for us to get together and really enjoy a game of football."
“Wales have selected Caernarfon because it’s a hotbed of football. They’ve been selling tickets for a couple of months now so we’re expecting to be met by a wall of Welsh voices.”

The England C squad will meet up on the Saturday evening after their club games before two days of preparation ahead of the fixture.
It’s a quick turnaround for a new squad but Fairclough is confident they will be united by representing their country.
“I could have gone down a much more physical route,” Fairclough said. “Wales like to play football but because they are older, they are strong men.
“So I could have picked a squad with that in mind but I don’t see that as my role, I haven’t picked a side to compete on that level. I’ve selected a group of technical players who will want to get the ball and play as much as we can."
“That’s why I enjoy this so much. Of course there’s still pressure to win games and for them to perform on the day.
“I can’t really remember when we’ve had a side who haven’t turned up. England C doesn’t work like that. They are so highly-motivated and proud that they’re wearing an England shirt.”

The two teams were scheduled to meet in March last year, but the game was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The last clash at the Peninsula Stadium in Salford in 2019 saw the two teams play out a 2-2 draw, while England earned a 3-2 victory at Barry Town United’s Jenner Park in 2018.

England C manager Paul Fairclough said: “We are really pleased to confirm that we’ve accepted an invitation to play this fixture against Wales C. The last two encounters between the two sides have provided plenty of entertainment and a platform for the players to progress their careers, so we’re looking forward to what should be an exciting game for all involved.”

Mark Jones, who has taken charge of the previous two fixtures in the Wales C hotseat, will once again oversee proceedings in Caernarfon. Jones said: “After missing out on this occasion in 2020 due to the pandemic, we’re more excited than ever to be welcoming England C to The Oval. “It will be a fantastic occasion in what will be a momentous week for Welsh football.”

The Vanarama National League and The Pitching In Grassroots Sports Investment Programme is the new sponsor of the Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Leagues  

Pitching In is a new Grassroots Sports' Investment Programme that has today been launched by GVC, the multi-national sports-betting and gaming group which owns Ladbrokes and Coral.

The partnership covers all three leagues that make up Steps 3 & 4 of the National Leagues System, who market themselves collectively as the Trident Leagues. 

England footballing legend Stuart Pearce, who played for Wealdstone FC for five years at the start of his long and illustrious career, has been appointed as the official Pitching In ambassador.

The Northern League and the Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Football Leagues will be providing funding for England C in this fixture. 

England C squad to face Wales C: Ben Killip – Hartlepool United, Craig King – Oxford City,  Kurt Willoughby – AFC Fylde Wes Fonguck – Barnet Josh Walker – Barnet,  Patrick Brough – Barrow Josh Kay – Barrow,  Lewis Harcastle – Barrow,  Kane Smith – Boreham Wood Kabongo Thsimanga – Boreham Wood,  Sorba Thomas – Boreham Wood, Liam Mandeville – Chesterfield,  Greg Olley – Gateshead,  Will Smith – Harrogate Town,  Sam Austin – Kidderminster Harriers,  Ben Goodliffe – Sutton United

THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER AND A TWO COURSE MEAL

In 1963, I was a lively Under 12 schoolboy footballer, playing at Collyer's Grammar School, Horsham in West Sussex, a school founded in 1532. Our football coach, Mr Brooshooft (yes really) a biology teacher, came originally from Dover and he arranged for our year group team to "go on tour" to Dover, where we watched a first team game and after played a game against the local selected Dover Schools U12 XI, on Dover FCs pitch winning! We stayed with families overnight, had a tour of the castle, saw the white cliffs.

Dover Football Club (the adults!) is a football club based in Dover, Kent. The club joined the local Kent League in 1894, but folded in 1901. Dover FC was revived a year later, this time as a purely amateur club, and rejoined the Kent League, but folded again in 1909. In 1920, the club reformed, this time as Dover United FC and played in local leagues but disbanded for the third time in 1933. A further incarnation of the club came under the name Dover FC, began play a year later, and then folded in 1947.

A new semi-professional Dover FC was immediately formed and rejoined the Kent League, going on to win the league championship twice in the 1950s before progressing to the Southern League. Dover won the championship of Division One in 1967. Johnny Ray was the leading scorer with 42 goals in 49 games helping the club to gain promotion to the Premier Division, where the club spent eleven seasons before being relegated. In 1983 the club folded due to its massive debts. A new club, Dover Athletic FC, took over its place in the league and remains active. Below, a highlight, sumptious meal part of hospitality, from the recent league game v Eastleigh (The Spitfires). A National League win 1-0 for Dover by the way.

The club's most recent successes: Isthmian League Division One South champions 2007-8 and followed by Premier champions 2008-9. 

Present manager is the well travelled Andy Hessenthaler,

Previous managers include John Ryan once of Norwich City, Peter Taylor (once of England), 

Neville Southall the GK, Gary Bellamy and a few others coming from South-east England.Latest win 1-0 v Eastleigh, next two, home games v Southend Utd and away at Stockport FC. The photo shows the Crabble, its name from the Old English "crabba hol", meaning....a hole where crabs are found!

Bookings are now being taken for our two-course curry night in the VIP Platinum Suite for next Tuesday’s (January 25th) National League game against Eastleigh at Crabble. This package costs £20 (plus the price of a matchday ticket for any non-season ticket holders) and on the menu will be chicken curry with rice and naan bread followed by apple tart and custard (my favourite). A vegetarian curry will also be available. The whole experience includes:

• Butler hosted lounge with large TVs and projector showing the game

• A two-course meal served at your table

• Reserved undercover premium padded seating

• Complimentary tea, coffee & mineral water, plus dedicated paid bar before and after the match

• Complimentary matchday team sheet

Arrival at the ground should be at 6.15 pm and food will be served at  6.45pm.

There are only 64 spaces available, so all tickets will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis.The dress code is smart casual.

The club badge represents the famous English Channel defence, Dover Castle and the "White Cliffs", sung memorably by Vera Lynn to remind the Second World War forces of their home nation, across the water.

CANTONA AND MACARI

Crystal Palace v Manchester United Wednesday 25th January 1995

Eric Cantona was always a controversial player, but he went over the top at Crystal Palace, when playing for Manchester United in a Premier League fixture. He was sent off for kicking Palace's Richard Shaw and on his way back to the changing room he leapt over the barrier and attacked a Palace fan, Matthew Simmons, who had been using abusive language to the Frenchman. Pictured is Eric's two-footed kung-fu assault.

Manchester United suspended the player for the remainder of the season and fined him the maximum amount they could - two weeks wages (about £20,000). He later appeared before the courts charged with common assault. Found guilty, he was originally sentenced by Croydon Magistrates to two weeks in prison which, on appeal, was reduced to 120 hours community service. An FA Disciplinary hearing also extended his worldwide playing ban to 30th September and fined him a further £10,000.

At the press conference after his prison sentence had been commuted to community service, Cantona attempted philosophy with the comments - "When seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think that sardines will be thrown into the sea."

The cost to Manchester United was arguably much greater. They lost their Premier League title to Blackburn Rovers by a single point, something which most United fans would agree would not have happened if the mercurial Frenchman had not been IN "clink". 

Paul Ince, who had also been arrested and charged with assault following another incident at the same match, was later cleared of threatening behaviour and assaulting a fan. However Matthew Simmons, the Palace fan, was found guilty of provoking the attack and was fined £500 and banned from all football for 12 months. He was also jailed for a week for jumping a bench in court to attack a prosecuting solicitor! Doh!

Cantona returned to football on 1st October 1995 and scored from the penalty spot in the 2-2 Premier League draw at Old Trafford against Liverpool. He helped United to regain the title that season and to confirm the transition from being l'enfant terrible to the prodigal son he was voted 'Football of the Year' by the Football Writers' Association in April 1996. Simmons went back to his "mundane life".

Quotes about ERIC! on the events at Palace: "Before that night I was behaving like a child. I was prepared to repeat the same mistake again and again. After it, I realised that was an irresponsible habit  I don't think of him (Simmons) much, only that his assault on the lawyer last Thursday speaks for itself."

Alex Ferguson looking back on the same events:
"I don't think any player in the history of football will get the sentence he got unless they had killed Bert Millichip's dog. When someone is doing well we have to knock him down. We don't do it with horses. Red Rum is more loved than anyone I know but he must have lost one race." (Millichip was the FA Chairman)

What Matthew Simmons said he yelled at Cantona:
"Off you go, Cantona - it's an early shower for you." Seems harmless enough, comparatively.

Gordon Strachan on the philosophical comments of his former team-mate:
"If a Frenchman goes on about seagulls, trawlers and sardines, he's called a philosopher. I'd just be called a short Scottish bum talking crap."  

What Brian Clough had to say:
"I'd have cut his balls off."

and from Luigi! (Lou) Macari! "The first half was end to end stuff. In contrast the second half has been one end to the other."

Lou Macari gave Manchester United 12 excellent seasons of service. (18 Jan 1973-30.6.1984) A busy striker who became midfield playmaker in the 1970s, he was a wonderful servant who always gave 100%. Despite playing in four Cup Finals (three FA Cup, one League Cup), he only had one winners medal when Liverpool were beaten in the FA Cup Final in 1977. His shot, possibly on its way into the net, deflected off Jimmy Greenhoff's chest for the winner. Lou won a League Division Two champions medal in 1975. Senior apps: for Celtic, United and Swindon Town: 423 apps 107 goals. For Scotland: 24 apps 5 goals. His management career was:

1984–1989	Swindon Town
1989–1990	West Ham United
1991	Birmingham City
1991–1993	Stoke City
1993–1994	Celtic
1994–1997	Stoke City
2000–2002	Huddersfield Town

Macari also owns the "Lou Macari Chip Shop" on Chester Road, near Old Trafford and he worked with Stoke-on-Trent council to set up The Macari Centre, a street retreat to house the homeless sleeping rough, which opened in February 2016. In COVID, following the closure of the crowded premises of The Macari Centre, Macari rented a warehouse and filled it with glamping pods for homeless people, giving them socially distanced places of their own and their own individual addresses.

and if you want more: https://www.footballsite.co.uk/Index/Index-Colemanballs.htm

COMOROS AND THE AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS

The Comoros Islands (circled), pop 870,000, is a member of the Arab league and the only country in the Arab World which is entirely in the Southern Hemisphere. Moroni is the capital with a population of around 54,000 (Sunny Muslims account for 98% of the pop) Island area is 10 sq.miles. It has a Tropical climate-hot and wet and very much "African".

The historic town centre of the capital "city", traditionally known as the Medina, contains a maze of narrow alleys and ancient buildings but is poorly maintained. There are many mosques, notably the Badjanani Mosque or Ancienne Mosquée de Vendredi (old Friday mosque), which is the oldest mosque in the Medina. It was originally built in 1427, and a minaret (religious tower) was added in 1921. The 300-seat theatre of the Alliance Franco-Comorienne serves as a venue for national and international performances, ceremonies, conferences, film screenings, and seminars. Moroni has a few hotels and nightclubs. The nearby, dormant Karthala volcano (last eruption in 2005), is also an attraction for hiking (2361m). 

Today, the island's football team (ranked 132rd in  FIFA) play their Round of 16 tie in the African Cup of Nations, with a depleted side due to Covid. They came third in their group, sensationally, having beaten Ghana 3-2 (who ended up 4th) in their third and final group match, and thus qualify to play on. Imagine the celebration "back home".

The tournament was first played for in 1957 and competed for every two years since. The first tournament was held in Khartoum, Egypt. There was no qualification for this tournament, the field being made up of the four founding nations of CAF (Egypt and Sudan Ethiopia and South Africa). South Africa's insistence on selecting only white players for its squad due to its aparthied policy led to its disqualification, and as a consequence Ethiopia were handed a bye straight to the final. Hence only two matches were played, with Egypt being crowned as the first continental champion after defeating hosts Sudan in the semi-final and Ethiopia in the final. 

But, Comoros' first-choice goalkeeper, Salim Ben Boina, is injured and their other two keepers, Ali Ahamada and Moyadh Ousseni, are isolating; watch how Comoros get on vs hosts Cameroon at 7pm this evening. Join Amir Abdou, the Comoros coach, who has Covid and misses the game, along with 11 others in the squad, but will be watching on telly I bet.

GORDON STRACHAN: IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT SIZE

Gordon Strachan is always good for a quote. 

One that has reached almost legend status is his comment on Eric Cantona's trawler and seagulls quote - 'If a Frenchman goes on about seagulls, trawlers and sardines, he’s called a philosopher. I’d just be called a short Scottish bum talking crap.' However sports' reporters out there, beware because if you ask him a silly question you are liable to get a quote you hadn't anticipated....her's a few from Gordon:

Reporter: 'Bang, there goes your unbeaten run. Can you take it?'

Strachan: 'No. I'm just going to crumble like a wreck. I'll go home, become an alcoholic and maybe jump off a bridge. Um, I think I can take it, yeah.'

*****
Reporter: 'So, Gordon, in what areas do you think Middlesbrough were better than you today?'
Strachan: 'What areas? Mainly that big green one out there!'
*****
Reporter: 'This might sound like a daft question, but you'll be happy to get your first win under your belt, won't you?'
Strachan: 'You're right. It is a daft question. I'm not even going to bother answering that one. It is a daft question, you're spot on there.'
*****
Reporter: 'Gordon, you must be delighted with that result?'
Strachan: 'You're spot on. You can read me like a book!'
*****
Reporter: 'Any changes?'
Strachan: 'Naw, still five foot six, ginger hair and a big nose'
*****
Reporter:' Gordon, do you think James Beattie deserves to be in the England squad?'
Strachan: 'I don't care, I'm Scottish.'
*****
Reporter: 'You don't take losing lightly, do you Gordon?'
Strachan: 'I don't take stupid comments lightly either.'
*****
Reporter: 'Welcome to Southampton Football Club. Do you think you are the right man to turn things around?'
Strachan: 'No. I was asked if I thought I was the right man for the job and I said 'No, I think they should have got George Graham because I'm useless.'
*****
Reporter: 'Gordon, can we have a quick word please?'
Strachan: 'Velocity' and he walks away!

Gordon David Strachan OBE: born 9 February 1957 @ 5'6" was competitive: (64 years old) is a Scottish football coach and former player. He played for Dundee, Aberdeen, Manchester Utd, Leeds Utd and Coventry City (635 games:138 goals) as well as Scotland (1980-92: 50 caps 5 goals). He managed Southampton, Celtic, Middlesbrough and Scotland between 1996 and 2017. Presently consulting at Dundee and Celtic.

Strachan retired from playing in 1997 at age 40 years, setting a Premier League record for an outfield player at the time. Renowned for his deadpan humour in media interviews, quotes attributed to Strachan have become part of popular football culture as you will have read.

https://www.colossusbets.com/blog/oldest-players-in-the-premier-league/

The trouble with making bold statements is they can sometimes come back to bite you. Gordon Strachan in the immediate aftermath of another botched World and European Cup campaigns claimed genetics were to blame for Scotland's ’s failure to reach World Cups and European Championships. He said our country has too many small players, insisting the lack of height (average 1.8 m) and strength is a hindrance. This despite the fact the national team manager had previously and repeatedly claimed that height should not be a disadvantage, often citing the examples of Lionel Messi and Andreas Iniesta as proof of his once-held theory. Here are some Euro national "heights", countries known for being tall on average!!

1. Netherlands - 1.838m (failed to qualify) Montenegro - 1.832m (failed to qualify)
2. Denmark - 1.826m (in the playoffs) Norway - 1.824m (failed to qualify)
3. Serbia - 1.82m (still up in the air) Germany - 1.81m (have qualified as group winners)
4. Croatia - 1.805m (can still make the playoffs) Czech Republic - 1.8031m (failed to qualify)
5. Slovenia - 1.803m (failed to qualify) Luxembourg - 1.799m (failed to qualify)
6. 
   
7. The outfield players of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup winning side, arguably the greatest in history, had an average height of just 1.75m, around 5ft 9in. The Argentina team of 1986 had an average of 1.78m, 5ft 10in, while the Dutch team of 1974 had an average of 1.8m.

and finally, here is Daniel Barrios, an Argentine of  Quereteros (Mexico) heighting in 

at 1.54 m: 5ft 0.63". Regarded as the shortest player in "senior football" 2022. A devil to mark.

1. 
   

AUCHINLECK AND A TASMANIAN DEVIL

Auchinleck Talbot FC, just one of those beautiful names, from a town located near Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, was founded in 1909 and took its name from the owner of the land on which they set their pitch, Baron Talbot de Malahide. Their ground is called Beechwood Park and now, has a capacity of 4,000.

Today the "Bot" were drawn against Heart of Midlothian (Hearts) in the 4th Round of the Scottish Cup. "Bot" played today with a 12.30 ko....lost 0-5 and will have to find success this season in their league, the West of Scotland Super League, Premier Division, or in less prestigious cups. 

The Australian wing-back in Hearts' squad, Nathaniel Atkinson (above) was handed a debut in today’s Scottish Cup tie at Auchinleck Talbot. The right-sided wing back joined the Jambos in early January from Melbourne City on a three-and-a-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee. 22-year-old Nathaniel, an Australian Olympic teammate of Cammy Devlin, has been a rising star in his homeland over the past couple of years, culminating in a league title and man of the match award in last season’s A-League Grand Final. Tasmanian-born, Nathaniel joined Melbourne City’s academy in 2016, plying his trade with the reserve side in 2016/17. Impressing with the reserves, he was called up to the senior side the following campaign and made his first-team debut in August 2017. His form was rewarded with a two-year professional contract in January 2018, and he would pen another two-year deal in 2020 after a move to Perth Glory fell by the wayside due to the pandemic. Last season saw Nathaniel earn rave reviews. He helped Melbourne City to win the A-League Premiership before putting in a man of the match performance in the 3-1 Grand Final win over Sydney FC, where he scored City’s first goal, which won him the Joe Martson medal for best player in the game. With three Australia U20 caps to his name, Nathaniel was named in the Olyroos’ Olympics' squad, alongside Cammy, for the 2020 games – held in 2021 - in Tokyo. He played in their 2-0 win over Argentina before putting in another man of the match display in a 1-0 defeat to Spain.

Do look at this link which is a short film about the club; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbjZVUt3oao

Here is the latest Premier Division Table of the West of Scotand Football League. 2021-22. Some delightful names and real anoraks out there will show an interest in where these clubs are located and the history of their names.

PREMIER DIVISION

Pos	Club	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Pollok	26	19	5	2	64	21	43	62
2	Auchinleck Talbot	21	16	3	2	48	16	32	51
3	Kilwinning Rangers	24	14	6	4	52	22	30	48
4	Clydebank	26	14	6	6	46	31	15	48
5	Hurlford United	23	13	5	5	41	26	15	44
6	Darvel	19	13	2	4	46	22	24	41
7	Irvine Meadow XI	22	11	4	7	37	29	8	37
8	Troon	26	11	3	12	41	45	-4	36
9	Beith Juniors	21	10	5	6	49	28	21	35
10	Rutherglen Glencairn	24	10	4	10	39	40	-1	34
11	Benburb	25	9	6	10	44	40	4	33
12	Cumnock Juniors	24	10	1	13	32	40	-8	31
13	Largs Thistle	23	8	4	11	41	42	-1	28
14	Kirkintilloch Rob Roy	21	9	1	11	31	43	-12	28
15	Glenafton Athletic	22	8	3	11	35	38	-3	27
16	Cumbernauld United	23	6	5	12	28	46	-18	23
17	Rossvale	26	7	2	17	37	65	-28	23
18	Kilbirnie Ladeside	25	6	3	16	31	56	-25	21
19	Blantyre Victoria	22	2	4	16	19	57	-38	10
20	Bonnyton Thistle	27	2	2	23	25	79	-54	8

Apologies for loss of first letter on the division table....it's a good guess game for you
Look up these clubs (above) on the www. and get some Geography on your c.v. How can you resist Benburb and Kirkintilloch Rob Roy?