Saturday, 26 July 2025

CHARLTON, EUSEBIO AND KEEGAN.

My 1966 diary tells me that in the morning of July 26th, it was the school holiday, and I had a haircut at the village barber. I then went, with friends, to a Sussex County Schools U15 cricket match against Northamptonshire at Loder Road, Brighton, a school ground. It rained and the game was never played!! After lunch, we went home and my neighbouring friend was showing on his "telly", the World Cup Semi-final of England v Portugal, Eusebio and all, played at Wembley. Below is a mention of the game, except for the news that we lads had fish and chips for our tea.  

Bobby Charlton scored two and Eusébio one as England beat Portugal 2-1 at Wembley in the semi-final of the World Cup. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myG7PSY2auk#:~:text=England%20edge%20out%20Portugal%202-1%20to%20win%20their,the%20great%20Eusebio%20scoring%20a%20late%20penalty%20f

England would then play West Germany - who had beaten the Soviet Union 2-1 the previous evening at Goodison Park - in the World Cup Final. Eleven years later.....

26th July 1977         
Kevin Keegan's £500,000 transfer from Liverpool to Hamburg in June was a record for a British player. He made his debut for his new club on 26th July 1977 in a pre-season friendly against Barcelona and, as the picture shows, Barcelona players seem to be taking the pee out of the Hamburg colour scheme. But Hamburg had the last laugh, Keegan scoring in their 6-0 defeat of the Spaniards.

Thursday, 24 July 2025

FOREST GREEN ROVERS-NEW VEGAN KIT

Forest Green Rovers have revealed new vegan football kits for the team's upcoming season, but the design has split fans' opinions with some branding it as "horrendous" and "out there".

The Gloucestershire team announced their players would be stepping onto the pitch for the new 2025/26 season in a fluorescent leopard-style print pattern "inspired by nature."

The new home shirt will be worn for two seasons as part of the club's commitment to reduce waste and lower the burden on fans to purchase a new design every year.

The recyclable material will then be remade into new products to help tackle the vast amount of textile waste, external generated by the sports industry each year.

Three teammates of the Forest Green Rovers football club. They are posing for a promotional image against a bright pink background to showcase the new kit design. They are all wearing florescent pink shorts and matching tops, which are covered in a leopard print, with white sleeves. The man on the left has his arms folded, the one in the middle has his hands on his hips, and the one on the right is holding out the bottom hem and smiling.Image source,Forest Green Rovers FC
Image caption,

The kit's print pattern is inspired by a barking tree frog will be worn for the next two seasons, with players competing in away games wearing bright pink

Alongside official teamwear partner Reflo, both organisations have been working with the Vegan Society to create what they claim to be the "world's first fully certified vegan kit".

The kit's pattern is inspired by a barking tree frog and is made from recycled mono-fibre materials which used plant-based dyes, club chairman Dale Vince said.

"In pursuit of the most sustainable football kit, we've experimented in previous seasons, with both bamboo and with coffee grounds," he continued.

"This season our new strip pushes the boundary again. I'm really pleased to unveil our bold, bright new kit that's inspired by nature and helping nature - that's pretty fabulous."

Club chairman Dale Vince wearing the yellow leopard print kit, which has white sleeves. He is standing on the pitch of a football stadium, with rows of seats visible behind him. He has dark grey hair and is looking at the camera with squinted eyes and a blank expression.
Image caption,

Club chairman Dale Vince said the club "like to push the boundaries on sustainability issues"

But not everyone is on board, with some sceptical fans describing the kit as "horrendous".

"Am I supposed to like that?" One supporter said. "How long are they going to be wearing that for?"

Another added: "I can't believe that - they wouldn't do that would they? I think I like the more traditional takes."

However, one fan enquired as to whether she could have the kit herself.

"I want one," she said. "Just to wear out anyway. I love leopard print."

Forest Green Rovers compete in the National League in the fifth tier of English football and recently appointed Robbie Savage as managerThe team's previous kit design for the 2024-25 seasons was fluorescent green with jagged stripes......

Four teammates of the Forest Green Rovers football club celebrating on the pitch after scoring a goal. They are wearing their old football kit, which is fluorescent green with jagged stripes and matching socks.Image source,PA
Image caption,


Wednesday, 23 July 2025

What they really mean!! Ten and Alf meant "Animals"!

 "One of the game's real characters"....he's wearing an earring.

"He did everything but put the ball into the back of the net"....he can't finish!

"I'm happy with the squad I have got!"........they are not giving me any penny to spend on players.

"He's got a good footballing brain"...basically in there is what you will find in a football.

"He's a very experienced player"...... very old.

"Not afraid to take players on"..... doesn't notice team mates screaming for him to pass the ball.

"Makes a nuisance of himself in the box".....barges into opposing defenders and tramples on their feet.

"Temperamental player!"....nutcase.

"Looks to be struggling with his knee".......knows he's about to be substituted.

"There's more urgency in their play now".....They're panicking like mad.

On July 23rd 1966....Geoff Hurst, of West Ham replaced the injured Jimmy Greaves in the England side for the World Cup quarter-final match against Argentina at Wembley (England's 407th international match) – and scored the only goal. The photo shows England manager, Alf Ramsey, not allowing George Cohen swap match shirts with an Argentinan opponent. The Argentine captainAntonio Rattín was sent off after 36 minutes and Alf didn't agree with the opposition's attitude and behaviour. Referee, Rudolph Kreitlein, a West German official, attempted to "snuff out" the over zealous tackling from the start, by using his "notebook". This seemed to incense the Argentine captain, Rattin, who had a running argument with the ref. on behalf of the Argentine side. Rattín's controversial dismissal, which involved his refusal to leave the field and prolonged protests, is a key moment in the history of the England-Argentina football rivalry. The match ended with a 1-0 victory for England, with Geoff Hurst (West Ham), scoring the only goal. At the end of the match, on the Wembley pitch, with 90,584 watching, Alf did not allow his players to swop shirts with the oppostion, whom he claimed were "animals", a word that the FA stuffed shirts persuaded Alf to withdraw, after some persuasion. 



Tuesday, 22 July 2025

INTER-CONTINENTAL CLUB CUP

The Intercontinental Club Cup came into "being" in 1960, the brainchild of UEFA General Secretary, Henri Delaunay. This was to be a two-legged contest between the European Cup (as it was) winners and winners of the South American, Copa Libertadores. The ICC was a game of some status and excitement, contested annually until 2004. It is known from 1980 as the Toyota Cup for sponsorship reasons, of course....

In 1960, the first leg between Penarol and Real Madrid, resulted in a draw in Montevideo. Ferenc Puskas (Hungarian) and the Spaniard, Alfredo di Stefano, both of Madrid, shared three goals in the first 8 minutes of the return and their team won 5-0, to win the prize. In 1962, Pele of Santos, Brazil, scored 5 goals out of 8 for his club over two legs against Portugal's Benfica.

In 1963, the tournament final lost some favour as Santos and Milan had players sent off. Milan's goalkeeper, Balzarini needed stitches in his head and hand. Six players were sent off in 1967's bad tempered play-off between Racing Club and Celtic. In 1968, Manchester United had two players dismissed in two ties against Estudiantes. Estudiantes then excelled in the 1969 season by beating Milan, although there was a maelstrom of kicking and gouging. Three members of their team were jailed for the evening by an embarrassed Argentinian President. In 1970, Feyenoord's Joop van Daele had his  spectacles whipped off his nose by Estudiantes defender Oscar Malbernat, who passed them on to his team mate Pachame, who duly stamped on them!!

This relentless "antifutbol" convinced 1971 European Champions, Ajax, to withdraw from the tournament when they had the chance to compete. Nacional of Uruguay, undersome pressure for a lack of success at the "higher stage" and in the need of money, begged UEFA to persuade the Dutch club to compete but they refused. European Cup Runners-up from Greece, Panathinaikos took their place!

Ajax played the following year when Johan Cruyff had his ankle damaged by rough Independiente play so the Dutch decided enough was enough. For the next few seasons the European Champions, Ajax, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest declined "the invitation". Below Ajax 1972.........


From 1980, its format was changed to a single match traditionally held in Tokyo, Japan, due to its new sponsorship. 

The Intercontinental Cup was discontinued in 2004 in favour of the FIFA Club World Cup, which includes the champion clubs from all of the FIFA member confederations. The final Final, was won by 2004 European champions, Porto of Portugal, who beat Colombian side, Once Caldos by 8–7 in a penalty shoot out, after the match finished 0–0. A fitting finale!!
Honours: Liverpool 1981 and 1984 both Finals as Runners Up: Nottingham Forest one Final in 1980 as RU, Aston Villa one Runners Up 1982, Manchester United one Win in 1999, one RU 1968.

Monday, 21 July 2025

FOOTBALL ON PRESCRIPTION

 https://www.fgr.co.uk/news/the-beautiful-game-is-just-the-medicine/

https://wecanmove.net/football-on-prescription/

LIVE football will be made available on prescription to help alleviate symptoms of depression under a scheme being piloted by a Labour MP and Ecotricity-owner Dale Vince. 

The plans, drawn up by GP turned MP, Dr Simon Opher (Stroud) and Mr Vince, will see patients at surgeries in Gloucestershire given the chance to attend games at National League side Forest Green Rovers. Mr Vince has owned the club since 2010. The initiative is part of a move by Dr Opher who has pioneered offering social prescribing to patients with mild or moderate depression instead of anti-depressants. Both comedy and gardening have previously been prescribed to patients by Dr Opher!! He said, "On average, around four-in-five people tend to stick with prescribed activities, with one of the main benefits being tackling loneliness". 

Dr Opher said: “I do think there’s something about watching football which does give you a sense of community. “I think one of the biggest problems in our society is social isolation. “It’s really quite toxic, actually, and it’s created in the modern world by social media. “Pubs aren’t so popular, we don’t get out as much, we don’t live in extended families, so that is very bad for you. “You can quantify it, it’s the same health risk as smoking about 20 cigarettes a day. 

It’s really bad. Patients at a dozen surgeries in the county near Forest Green’s The New Lawn ground in Nailsworth will be given the chance to be referred to go to a game. Football gets people out and about, socialising. It will not be for everyone but it must help a good number of people struggling with mental and social issues. It must be better than taking anti-depressants, which by the way has increased in number by around 2% this year to around 8.7 million people in the country.

He said: “If you’ve got severe depression then I would always recommend antidepressants, but a large majority of people have got what they call mild to moderate depression, and the tendency at the moment is to give them tablets, because there’s no mental health support really, it can take six months to get it, and you feel like you need to do something. “That’s why we’ve got to a stage where we’ve got 8.7 million people on antidepressants, so we need to try something else.”  The initiative is planned to run for the whole season, beginning with the side’s first home game against Yeovil Town on August 16. The tickets are being donated for free by Forest Green. 

Mr Vince bought the club in 2010, and has since turned them into the world’s first vegan, and carbon-neutral football club!! Under his ownership the long-time non-league club reached League One, before suffering two back-to-back relegations. 

He said: “I think it’d be a great thing if football clubs up and down the country could reach out to people and do this. “Men typically don’t really talk about their issues, that’s the thing, and you get loneliness and things like that as well. In my life I’ve had periods in my life where I’ve been a bit fed up, and excluded … a bit "down" from time to time. It’s easy to spiral downwards when you’re not in contact with people and I just wanted to do something about that.”  

“Forest Green has been one of the best experiences of my life, and I’m keen to share that.” Dr Opher’s scepticism towards widespread antidepressant prescription came after he began his career as a GP in 1995.

Sunday, 20 July 2025

A BUSY AND IMPORTANT FEW DAYS IN SPORT

 Lord Arthur Kinnaird was born in 1847 and unfortunately as an FA administrator, died before the new Wembley was opened in 1923. Born in Kensington, his father, Lord Kinnaird, and mother were Scottish, having a home in the family seat in Perthshire. He went to school in Cheam, then at Eton College and after at Trinity College, Cambridge University, becoming a banker for a bank that eventually founded Barclays Bank. Kinnaird played in the second FA Cup Final in 1873, for the Wanderers, as an outfield player (sometimes in goal) and then took part in a further 8 finals, either for the Wanderers or the Old Etonians. Indeed he played in the 1881 final against the Old Carthusians, (the old boys of Charterhouse School, once in London and now in Surrey) losing 0-3.

He played in the "unofficial" England internationals v Scotland in the early 1880s and also played for county sides and The North!
Kinnaird later joined the FA administration  and refereed (umpired in those days) two FA Cup Finals in 1887 and 1889.

Like all heroes in the Victorian period he was multi-talented, sprinting for his school, getting a Cambridge Blue at Real Tennis and he also represented Cambridge at Fives, swimming, enjoyed international canoeing and was a member of the MCC.
He was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a member of the House of Lords, a JP, president of the YMCA and had various roles in the Royal Engineers and the Church of Scotland. He was of course a genuine amateur footballer....mind you he could afford to keep that status.

On July 20th 1885, the Football Association permitted "professionalism", something Kinnaird would have voted for. Before that many clubs made "payments" to some of their players to maintain the club's competitiveness. The original FA Rules formed in 1863 insisted on clubs abiding by the laws of the amateur FA code.

The Perth Golfing Society, Scotland, was founded in 1824 during a gathering of men at the local Salutation Inn. Kinnaird was not born then.
Its sixth captain was Lord Arthur Kinnaird, who, using his contact with Royalty, persuaded King William IV to give the golf society his patronage and so the golf club gained the status of the Royal Perth Golfing Society, the first in the country to gain this honour.
The 153rd Open Championship is played from July 17 to July 20, 2025, at Royal Port Rush Golf Club in Northern Ireland. Today is its final.

Various clubs have gained the Royal patronage; The Royal and Ancient, St Andrews in 1834, Royal Port Rush founded in 1888 was dubbed "Royal" in 1892. The Royal North Devon was honoured in 1864 and various clubs abroad in Australia, in Zimbabwe, the Czech Republic, Wales and of course England eg Liverpool 1871 have gained the honour! There are 66 clubs bearing the Royal title. 

Just to get another sport into this Blog, I heard that over arm bowling in cricket was first used officially on this day, some time ago. The Laws of Cricket "modernised" for the 1864 season. Law 10 was rewritten to allow the bowler to bring his arm through at any height providing he kept it straight and did not throw the ball. This completed the evolution of bowling and the overarm style has remained predominant ever since, though some conservatives (including W.G.Grace, no less) did continue to bowl roundarm till the end of their careers; and even underarm itself was still seen occasionally.
The giant of Victorian cricket, Dr W.G. Grace, was also a keen footballer who appeared for the Wanderers; Grace later became the first President of the Gloucestershire Football Association on its foundation in 1886 and also served as a referee. 

Saturday, 19 July 2025

On this day!!

19th July 1966 In one of the all-time World Cup upsets, North Korea beat Italy 1-0 in front of 17,829 at Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough, in their final group match. North Korea became the first Asian country to qualify for the knock-out stages of the World Cup, Italy went home.

On the same date in 2009, 
Mauricio Baldivieso was an unusual record-setter when he made his debut for Aurora against La Paz in the Bolivian First Division on 19th July 2009 – he became the youngest player to play professional football in South America. He was just 12 years old. Ok he was just 3 days off his 13th birthday but that still made him 12 years old! He came on as a late substitute for Aurora but was on the pitch long enough to be on the receiving end of a bad foul which resulted in a confrontation between the two sides. Aurora lost the match 1-0…….oh, and the Aurora manager was Julio César Baldivieso, Mauricio’s Dad! The record was previously held by Fernando Garcia who made his professional debut in Peru a little short of his 14th birthday. Ancient in comparison!

Friday, 18 July 2025

JUST A QUICKIE!

The fastest goal in the Premier League era was scored by Shane Long for Southampton against Watford in 2019, with the Irishman finding the back of the net, inside just 7.69 seconds. 

The quickest goal in UEFA Champions' League history was registered at 10.12 seconds, scored by Roy Makaay for Bayern Munich against Real Madrid in 2007. Both are incredible achievements, but both pale in comparison to the 10 fastest goals in football history, all of which were scored inside four seconds.

Remember Bryan Robson scoring in 27 seconds for England against France  in Bilbao, 16th June 1982? I do! 

You may not remember Jackie Milburn (Woor Jackie!) scoring for Newcastle United against Manchester City on May 7th 1955 in the FA CUP FINAL! I don't!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr0zpRp0Q1I

On This Day – 18th July 1955. The day that a new transfer fee record for a Football League player was set. Since March 1951 the record was for Jackie Sewell’s transfer from Notts County to Sheffield Wednesday but on this day that record fee was topped when South African Eddie Firmani moved from Charlton Athletic to Sampdoria in Italy. OK, the new record transfer fee was only £35,000 – just £500 more than the previous record – but the Italians were certainly seen to be throwing their money around. In addition to the record transfer fee they paid Firmani a £5,000 signing-on fee and increased his wages from £15 to £150 a week. Amazing! Firmani spent 8 years in Italy – also playing for Inter-Milan and Genoa – and also played 3 times for Italy being eligible to play for them as he had an Italian grandfather. He returned to Charlton in 1963 and later had a spell as manager the The Valley.

18th July 2000
Nick Barmby was transferred from Everton to Liverpool for £6 million. It was the first time that a player had moved from Everton to Liverpool since Dave Hickson in 1959 and the abuse Barmby was to receive probably explained why!

18th July 2002
Leicester City’s Dennis Wise broke the cheekbone of team-mate Callum Davidson in an argument following a game of cards during the club’s pre-season tour of Finland. The incident later saw the England international sacked by Leicester for serious misconduct.


Wednesday, 16 July 2025

JULY 16th

Everywhere has its irremediable national catastrophe, for example Hiroshima in Japan. It was Brazilian journalist, Nelson Rodrigues who wrote that "Our Hiroshima was the defeat by Uruguay in 1950". Nelson recorded possibly the biggest upset in international football history, a match that still scars Brazilians! Despite Uruguayan, player Julio Perez, wetting himself during the National Anthem, his team pulled off a stunning victory 2-1 on Brazilian "soil". Goalkeeper, Moacyr Barbosa, was blamed for the defeat. Before he died, penniless in 2000, he hemarked "Under Brazilian Law, the maximum sentence is 30 years, but my imprisonment has been fifty!" 

The two South American rivals met again on this day in 1989 in the Final of the Copa America. Brazil was going through a 19 year Trophy drought but Romario scored the winner in this grudge match to end Brazil's barren run and exact a slice of revenge over Uruguay in the process. 

Brazil won their fourth Copa America and the first since 1949, by beating Uruguay in the final match at the Estadio do Maracana. This achievement ended a 19-year streak without official titles for the Brazilian team. The last one had been in the 1970 World Cup. So, Brazil was victorious in the Copa América after a 40-year hiatus, and this achievement ended Brazil's 19-year streak without an official championship since the 1970 World Cup.



Tuesday, 15 July 2025

THE BLACK FLASH AND THREE DEGREES

The 15th of July, 1989, saw the pioneering, black footballer, Laurie Cunningham, nicknamed "The Black Flash". He was one of the top footballers in England to achieve such prominence playing for Ron Atkinson's, West Bromwich Albion, in the 1970s. He went on to become Real Madrid's first Englishman to play for the Spanish club and also their first black footballer. Laurie was the first black player to represent England at any level and he scored on his Under 21 debut in 1977. Laurie was tragically killed in a car accident at only 33 years old. 
Born in Archway, London, he was the son of a former Jamaican race-horse jockey. Cunningham started in schoolboy football and was turned down by Arsenal before joining Leyton Orient in 1974.

He joined West Bromwich in 1977, where, under manager Johnny Giles, he teamed up with another black player, Cyrille Regis, and the following year under Ron Atkinson, with Brendon Batson. This was the second time an English top-flight team simultaneously fielded three black players (the first being Clyde Best, Clive Charles and Ade Coker for West Ham Utd against Spurs in April 1972 and Atkinson collectively referred to Cunningham, Batson and Regis as the Three Degrees after the USA Soul Singer Group

Whilst a West Bromwich Albion player, he played in a Benefit Match for Len Cantello, that saw a team of white players play against a team of black players.

In the summer of 1979, he made a historic move as the first English player to transfer to Real Madrid, who paid West Bromwich Albion a fee of £950,000. He scored twice on his debut and helped Madrid win the Football League and FA Cup Double.

Cunningham began the 1980–81 season with Madrid well and scored goals in the early rounds of the European Cup (as it called then), but then succumbed to injury, and required an operation on a broken toe. He recovered just in time for the 1981 European Cup Final against Liverpool in Paris, as Madrid lost 1–0. During pre-season training for the 1981–82 season, a thigh injury kept Cunningham out of the majority of the season (only three goalless appearances in the league), his only real noteworthy contribution was in the UEFA Cup quarter-final tie against Kaiserslautern. In the first leg, Cunningham scored a goal in Madrid's 3–1 win. In the second leg, however, he was sent off shortly before halftime for retaliation!! as Kaiserslautern won 5–0 to inflict Madrid's worst-ever result in European competition. Cunningham won a second Copa del Rey medal as he played in the final, when Madrid beat Sporting Gijon 2–1, but it was a depressing campaign for him. For the next season, with Madrid signing Johnny Metgod to join Uli Stielike as the two permitted foreigners, Cunningham spent most of the 1982–83 season on the sidelines, until he reunited with Ron Atkinson at Manchester United on loan in April 1983. He left Madrid after the 1982–83 season, joining Gijón and subsequently Marseille.

Cunningham only remained in France for one season in 1984–85, before heading back to England to join Leicester City, although he played only half a season due to further injury. At the end of the 1985–86 season, Cunningham went back to Spain to play for Rayon Vallecanon in the second tier. He moved to Charleroi in Belgium for the 1987–88 campaign, but was yet again struck down by injury, and in the new year was back in England on a short-term deal with Wimbledon, where he managed to help the Dons beat Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup Final.

Cunningham later moved back to Spain and Rayo Vallecano for the 1988–89 season. He scored the goal that secured their promotion to the Primera Division. Cunningham was killed in a car crash in Madrid on the morning of 15 July 1989, at the age of 33. He was survived by his wife and their son.

In November 2004, he was named as one of West Bromwich Albion's 16 greatest players, in a poll organised as part of the club's 125th anniversary celebrations. The club announced that Cunningham would feature in a mural of the former players to be displayed at The Hawthorns.

In October 2013, the Nubian Jak Community Trust unveiled a Blue Plaque outside Orient's Brisban Road ground. In September 2015, English Heritage erected a blue plaque on Cunningham's childhood home at 73 Lancaster Road, Stroud Green, London.

In November 2017, a statue by Graham Ibbeson (below) was unveiled in Coronation Gardens, Leyton, near Brisbane Road, paying tribute to Cunningham and his time at Leyton Orient. 

Another statue, by Ibbeson, was unveiled in West Bromwich town centre, in May 2019 (next below!). The work commemorates Cunningham's time at Albion alongside two black teammates, Cyrille Regis and Brendon Batson, with a spokesperson for the organisers commenting that "the three players opened the gates to allow black players into football at a time when they were locked out".

A play based on Laurie's life, Getting the Third Degree by Dougie Blaxland, was first performed in 2019.




Friday, 11 July 2025

IT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO TAIBI OR FERGIE

Massimo Taibi ( born 18 February 1970) is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for several clubs, mostly in Italy's Serie A and B, and C1. He had a brief spell at English club Manchester Unitedhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA4UecdrZYM        Fergie untroubled!




Thursday, 10 July 2025

OSSIE AND VILLA

I am listening to the various transfers' news to British Clubs, from foreign countries. There have been plenty and here are some "specials".

10th July 1978 Back on this day in 1978, the footballing talking point was centred on Tottenham Hotspur. In those days a 'foreign' player in the English game was Welsh, Scottish or Irish, so when Spurs - who had just won promotion from the Second Division - signed two players from the Argentine squad that had just won the World Cup, it became front-page news. Ossie Ardiles was part of the winning Argentine team while Ricky Villa had played in a couple of matches as a sub prior to the final. Both players became firm favourites at White Hart Lane and after they arrived the trickle of foreign players into the English game slowly became a flood and things would never be the same again. 

Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa | Pioneers of a Football ...

Early Foreign Players in English Football: Walter Bowman: The first foreign player in the Football League, playing for Accrington in 1892. Max Seeburg: A German player who appeared for Tottenham in 1908-09. Hussein Hegazi: An Egyptian forward who played for Fulham in 1911-12. Nils Middelboe: A Danish international who played for Chelsea in 1913. Emilio Aldecoa: The first Spaniard to play in the English league, arriving in 1937 as a refugee. In 1930 Arsenal try to sign an Austrian goalkeeper, Rudy Hiden, but his work permit application is declined because he was foreign. Gerry Keizer: The first Dutchman to play in the League, joined Arsenal in 1930. The FA and PFA adopted an anti-foreigner stance. Arsenal ignore them and signed Keizer, the League’s first Dutchman. SO, the FA introduced a two-year residency rule to thwart further foreign professional imports. This effective ban on foreign professionals remained in place until 1978. In 1978, The European Community in Brussels decided on 23 February that football associations cannot deny access to players on the basis of their nationality. At its summer AGM, the Football League lifted its 47-year effective ban on foreigners. A “new wave” of imports, including Ossie Ardiles, Ricky Villa, Ivan Golac and Kazimierz Deyna, starts to arrive. In 1988-89 Arsenal won the League title without using a single foreign player. They were the last club to do so!

Wednesday, 9 July 2025

THE MATERAZZI FINAL AND ZIDANE'S?

On July 9th 2006, the year's World Cup Final between France and Italy was in action. Zinedine Zidane, playing his final match before "retirement", converted a "Panenka" penalty kick, the fourth man to score in TWO World Cup Finals; Vava, Pele and Paul Brietner being the others. There were ten minutes left in the game and it looked like Zidane would join a select band of players who had won the World Cup twice.

France was looking the stronger side in Extra Time but it was not going to be Zidane's day! It was Marco Materazzi's day!!! and the Italian defender had a hand (foot) in three major incidents. First, he was judged to have brought down Florent Malouda, conceding a penalty after 7 minutes in the game, which Zidane scored. Malouda then levelled the match with a towering header. With ten minutes of Zidane's career left, Materazzi said something to Zidane which made Zidane "nut"  his chest and he was "sent off" in disgrace with 110 minutes gone!! The French were stunned and with the wind out of their sails, Italy held out to 1-1 and won the penalty shoot out 5-3. Both players returned home, one certainly as a National heroes and Zidane won the tournament's Golden Ball, as best player!! Some consolation. Cameroon's Rigobert Song is another player to have been dismissed in two separate World Cups.

What had been said? Lip readers tried to interpret but with no success; all Zidane would admit it was something "personal" about his mother and sister!! Zidane apologised and explained that he was sorry but "could not regret saying what he said because he (Materazzi) should not have said what he said!"

Two months later, Materazzi broke the silence saying "I was tugging his shirt, and he said to me, "If you want my shirt so much, I'll give it to you after the game. I answered, "that I'd prefer his sister!" Ooops!!

Zinedine Zidane's headbutt foul in 2006 World Cup Finalhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I351INkIZw

The action had shocked the World, but Zidane had been shown 14 red cards in his career and in 1998 in the World Cup, he was sent off against Sauid Arabia for stamping on Saudi's defender, Fuad Amin's. He is one of few footballers to have been dismissed in two separate World Cups.


Tuesday, 8 July 2025

CAPTAINS OF ENGLAND

Here's a reference to past Blogs and I found this one relating to Captains of England. I hope you find it interesting. In the early days, the captain was chosen due mainly to his "behaviour" and diplomacy; the Football Association could not have a leader who didn't want to do what they said!!

Bobby Crompton of Blackburn Rovers, captained the England football team between 1903 and 1914, when war intervened. He won 22 caps.

Bobby Crompton of Blackburn Rovers, captained the England football team between 1903 and 1914, when war intervened. He won 22 caps.
Bob Crompton.jpg

Cuthbert Ottoway was England's first international captain the the first international ever against Scotland on November 30th 1872. He was also an MCC cricketer.

While we are in far history I shall also throw in Gilbert Oswald Smith, an Old Carthusian, an old boy of Charterhouse (School), in Godalming, Surrey, which was one of the "nurseries" of English football. He was regarded as the "first centre-forward" and a gent! Diplomacy was very important.
On December 4th 1935, at White Hart Lane, London, in the "heart" of Jewish London, the English played Germany in a friendly international despite the demonstrations by the local Jewish Trade Unions against the Hitler's attitude and aggressive policies. The game went ahead, nevertheless!! England won 3-0 with two goals from Camsell and one from Cliff Bastin. Over 54,000 attended this match.

The next time the two met was in May 1938, in a famous international against Germany in Berlin, just before the Second World War. The English team was told by the Football Association, the "Selectors"  to "honour" their hosts by giving the Nazi Salute as part of the pre-match ceremony on the pitch. In a previous meeting at the Berlin Olympics, the England team did not give the salute and this didn't go down very well with Hitler and his mates.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlbLHviSTPc
The English players were livid but Eddie Hapgood, their captain, made sure they did what they were told, which was "right" for the occasion according to the FA and diplomats. England made their point however and won 6-3! From May 1939 until May 1945 England only played "home countries and the next time they met a German international side, was in December 1954 against West  Germany at Wembley; a 3-1 win in front of 100,000.

The longest serving England football captains include Billy Wright who won 105 caps and was captain in 90 matches from 1948-59.
Bobby Moore's reign was from 1962-73 with 90 caps as captain.
Other long serving captains include:
Bryan Robson 1980-91 (65 times as captain), David Beckham 1996-2007 (59 as capt)



Cuthbert Ottoway was England's first international captain, of course in the first international ever,  against Scotland, on November 30th 1872.He was also an MCC cricketer.

While we are in "far" history I shall also throw in Gilbert Oswald Smith, an Old Carthusian, an old boy of Charterhouse (School), in Godalming, Surrey, one of the "nurseries" of English football. He was regarded as the "first centre-forward".
In 1935 at White Hart Lane, London, in the "heart" of Jewish London, the England team played Germany in a friendly international, despite the demonstrations by the local Jewish Trade Unions against the Hitler's attitude and aggressive policies. The game went ahead.

Another famous international against Germany occurred just before the Second World War, on May 14th 1938, in Berlin, as part of an international tour. The English team was told by the FA to "honour" their hosts by giving the Nazi Salute, as part of the pre-match ceremony on the pitch. In a previous meeting at the Berlin Olympics, the England team did not give the salute and this didn't go down very well with Hitler and his mates.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlbLHviSTPc
The English players were livid but Eddie Hapgood, their captain, made sure they did what they were told, which was "right" for the occasion according to the FA and diplomats. England won 6-3! On the tour, the next match was against Switzerland, 5 days later, in Zurich (lost 1-2) and 5 more days later in Paris, a 4-2 win.

The longest serving England football captains include Billy Wright who won 105 caps and was captain in 90 matches from 1948-59.
Bobby Moore's reign was from 1962-73 with 90 caps as captain.
Other long serving captains include:
Bryan Robson 1980-91 (65 times as captain), David Beckham 1996-2007 (59 as capt) and for more FUN try this link....who is the present captain??

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_England_national_football_team_captains