Football Nostalgia

The 1974 World Cup was staged in West Germany and as luck would have it, their neighbours, East Germany, had qualified for the finals and were drawn together in the same group. They were scheduled to meet on Saturday 22nd of June 1974. This would be their first encounter in the days of the Cold War and the Iron Curtain. The West Germans were well fancied to win the cup and few gave their neighbours any chance of upsetting Helmut Schoen's apple cart, with the likes of Beckenbauer and Muller onboard. However, Jurgen Sparwasser and his East German team mates had not read the script. By clicking on the link below, you can read an interesting article relating to this historical encounter. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47456049

Here's an article I wrote back in 2015 with British clubs eliminated from the Champions League prior to the semi-final stage. One wonders if Manchester City or United, Liverpool or Spurs can restore some British pride? British Soccer Leaves the Euro Zone! With this being election year and much talk about the possibility of Britain leaving the Euro zone in the wake of a Conservative victory, it seems that British football clubs have stolen a march on the politicians! Despite the Premier League’s huge revenue generating capacity for the privileged few, some would say at the expense of the interests of the English national team and lower leagues, the English and indeed the British teams have once again been found wanting at the top table of European football! As I reflected upon this sad state of affairs while devouring ITV’s latest helping from the Champions League at the semi-final stage, courtesy of the old lady of Juventus and the Galácticos of Real Madrid, my wandering m...

David Williams Cancer Appeal In November 1988, Ceredigion and beyond was shocked by the sudden death of David Williams of Llanfihangel y Creuddyn, who was only 39 years old. He was the Headmaster of Llanfihangel y Creuddyn Primary School, but it is fair to say that he was famous across the whole of Wales, as a highly talented footballer and one of the best ever strikers of all time in the country. Everyone knew him as ' Dias ', named after a famous Brazilian footballer who starred in the 1960 World Cup. ' Dias ' was a faithful supporter of Wolverhampton Wanderers. One of his dreams was realised a few months before his death, when he had the opportunity to watch Wolves play in a final at Wembley, beating Burnley to win the ' Sherpa Vans Trophy. Unfortunately this gifted, popular and generous character was lost in a devestatingly sudden manner, as a result of pancreatic cancer, leaving a remarkable void in so many people’s lives. It is now 30 years since ...

Here's an article I wrote recently when the Black Cats were paired with the mighty Gunners in the FA Cup. This gave me the perfect opportunity to reminisce about Sunderland's remarkable adventure in 1973, both on English and European soil. Sunderland’s Cup of Woe This season’s F.A Cup competition has thrown up an intriguing tie between the pride of Wearside and the north London giants Arsenal. Inevitably those Black cats sufficiently long in the tooth will reminisce over Sunderland’s finest hour way back in 1973! Back in those distant and innocent days, the Gunners had accomplished the double only two years prior and were destined to reach their third consecutive F.A Cup final. A swift return to the twin towers for a repeat of the previous year’s centenary cup final against arch rivals Leeds United seemed inevitable. A seemingly mediocre second division outfit in the shape of Sunderland was all that stood between them and the twin towers. However Bob Stokoe’s giant-kil...

Two Welsh players in the shape of Pembrokeshire's Ian Walsh and Peter Nicholas. A very decent Palace side under a great coach in Venables. I just love that iconic Palace kit which has been seen this season in the Premier League.

The Pride of the North East Pride of the North East is a richly deserved title given Middlesbrough Football Club's recent results, sharing the spoils away to title contenders Arsenal and Manchester City. Few people outside the north east expected Boro to make a fist of it amongst the big boys feasting at the top table of English football this season. Although the club might lack a glut of star players and expensive signings, what they do possess is one of the brightest young coaches in the game, having honed his coaching skills under the watchful eye of Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, at a time when his star burnt brightly in the firmament. As you'll discover later, Mourinho was linked with another famous Middlesbrough coach as he took his first tentative steps in his coaching career. When Aitor Karanka was appointed as Boro's first foreign manager in November 2013, the club may have appeared to be taking a gamble on raw talent, rather than playing it safe with a trus...