THE FOOTBALL MAG WITH A BIT OF A KICK! ISSUE 71 FEB/MAR 2021 £3.49 706765021 772046 9 ISSN 2046-7656 71 MARADONA FAREWELL!TO!A!LEGEND

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Issue No. 983 LEAGUE Sunday January 27, 201 Is 9 sue 541: Sunday, January 27, 2019 £1.80 The Paper £1.50 / €3.00 THE ONLY PAPERFOOTB FOR THE REAL LL FOOTBALL FAN in association with The THE BEST COVERAGE FROMRUGBY ALL THE WEEKEND’S RUGBY Paper >> PAGES 17-32 in association with INSIDE: CUP KINGS: Six N Millwall’s Murray ations 16-page preview Wallace celebrates his last-gasp winner MATIAS: against Everton in the FA Cup fourth round MAGNIFICENT This could be one of PICTURE: PA WE DON’T Images the most exciting ever FEAR BLUES SEVEN! STARTS AND GULLS FIRE TITLE SHOT P11 IN THUMPING WIN Inside: PARKIN: >> Guscott: England’s >> Gusta COLE CAN REVEALED! game-chang rd: Big chance >> Racing 92 ers are key for revenge in D FA’S PLANS PAGE 21 ublin chase Manu PA BOOST RAMS TO CHANGE GES 4-5 PAGE 10

PROMOTION FL OODGATES OPENED: Saikou Janneh, left, Tomos set FROM STEP 3 scored two I understand for Torquay United y esterday as to fo NEXT SEASON they dismantled Oxford llow City in Published by a 7-2 rout The League Paper Ltd See pages 24-45 PICTURE: Pinnacle the great Daly’s moan Sir Gareth By PETER ■JACKSON

TOMOS Williams is in line MURRAY’S about Wasps to make his Six Nations debut for Wales in Paris on Friday night and emulate the gre OH YES! Newport atest of all scrum- SPEND IT LIKE halves. County’s MINT TO Matty Dolan More than h is mobbed after netting alf a century after Sir Gare an injury-time equaliser th Edwards says Haskell made his Champ against Middlesbrough ionship LICK THE bow in the same fixture, th PICTURE: PA Images e 24-year-old from Treorchy is on stand-by for the By ADAM at Broadstreet RFC chance to go since pointed but if your expec one better TOFFEES! ■ELLIS their move to t - than his p he red Midlands tations are that, then yo ecessor. in 2015, an u’re Edw JAMES HA d Haskell, who satisfied. ards, then 19, took SKELL says left Wasps last the plunge summer for “The old faciliti from Cardiff BECKHAM he can understand why Northam es at into a los pton, concedes it Acton were ing Wales team for former Was some of the a Now Salford can ‘reach for the stars’ ps team- is pretty basic there. worst f match France won by acilities you could mate Elliot Dal “The faci six.Williams prepares y is lities at Wasps ever wish to train at. to unhappy abou are grassroots make the same journey DAVID Beckham says beco t the facilities,” “It’s not like we’v me majority sharehold- stated: “My Haskell told e with a winning team an Salfo early years in last five years standard of the club’s The Rugby swapped a Rolls Royce for a d rd City can ‘reach for ers of the club, with Beckham M trying to get the now be a part of thi Paper. put an unbeaten in anchester were all about tea s incredi- facilities in Cove Bentley, we’ve gone f Derby terna- the sta purchasing a 10 pe m in Miami going. ble team is re ntry. rom a delight: Tom tional record o rs’ after buying into r cent stake living in Salford. ally exciting.” “They train at Broad- Vauxhall As C n the line. from P “It’s great seeing the st W Daly is understood to be tra to some- ollins scores for Since the club this w eter Lim, was made at a “When the ory, ednesday’s press confer- street, it’s a great thing e Warren Gatland eek. lads first got what they have interested in a move lse. The best thing Northampton in their pic press conference this week. inv done with the ence was attended by all other to grassroots club, that’s ab ked him against South The shock announcement olved with Salford we club London-based it. out Acton was when we big win over Leicester , Speaking about and the stadium and members of the Class Saracens “They use f Africa last summer, which will the acqui- spoke about all of us be amid acilities that a left.” see the ‘Class of 92’ sition, a delighte ing having Peter as part of it. It’s a of 92 with Bec slow progress by local r PICTURE: Getty Images Williams has made five POSH AXE EVANS d Beckham part of it, but I h kham ugby club uses. Wasps revealed ave spent the special group of peopl Wasps to relocate to a new in more appearances and e and to Continued on Page 3➤ “If your expectations are December that won modern training ground. an agree- the lot, against Ar higher than that then ment has be gentina, LEAG Wasps have be en struck with Scotland, Tong UE One promo- enough for Evans en based you’re going to be di a, Australia to keep his sap- Continued on Page 5> and South ... And Ferguson’s back tion-chasers Peterb job. Fe Africa again orou r Match action - starts Page 8 gh guson has previously United >> Continued on Page 4 have sacked manager led Posh to three promotions. > Ste ve Evans – and brought “We are pleased to appoint Darren Ferguson back for a Darren as our new manager for third spell in charge third spell in charge. on a deal that runs until t he A goalless draw against end of the season,” said Posh. DUNLAVY: JONES WON’T ALLOW SHIRKERSCha rlATton y esSTOKEterday wasn’t CITY●FULL STORY – Page 33

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AFTER fans returned to stadiums in limited numbers at the tail end of last year, we were hoping it was 28 going to be the start of better things to come in 2021. Sadly, it hasn’t proved to be the case with Covid-19 again causing chaos up and down the land. Elite football plays on for now without fans but recent well publi- cised lockdown breaches by top players haven’t been a good look. If you’re missing your regular football fix, then we hope you enjoy this new edition. Love him or hate him, no one can 04. WAYNE’S!NEW!WORLD argue that Diego Maradona wasn’t Rooney the boss a player of the highest calibre and Robert J Wilson takes an in-depth 05. DIEGO!MARARDONA look at his incredible life. Farewell to a legend We’ve also got articles on Wayne Rooney, Illan Meslier and Andy 11. IN!SAFE!HANDS Carroll, among others. Illan Meslier shines at Leeds If you fancy writing for the maga- 30 zine please get in touch. You can 14, SUPER!COOPER send submissions and ideas to The path of the Swansea boss [email protected] We read everything that comes in 17. MEMORY!LANE and use the best stuff each issue. When Man United beat Chelsea Please do remember that as the magazine is printed only every six 18. PAOLO!ROSSI 37. LOYAL!SERVANT weeks or so, we can’t use time- Churchy the Kitman sensitive pieces. His perfect day That aside, the main rule is there 38. THE!HUD are no rules: as long as your piece is 22. CLONING!AROUND about football (pretty crucial, that) An unusual experiment... Remembering George Hudson and on the right side of legal, we’ll consider it for publication. 27. PLAYER!POWER 40. CORE!VALUES We just want stuff that is Making a stand The bond between fan and club interesting, funny, poignant, insightful, or maybe even all four. 28. SINGING!THE!BLUES 41. BLUNT!BLADES Thanks for your support, Birmingham’s glory Sheffield United’s agony John Lyons, editor 30. ANDY!CARROLL 42. ITALIAN!JOB SEND ARTICLES TO: When he shook up the Gunners England’s big test [email protected] FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: 33. BIG!BEN!CHIMES 44. BOOK!REVIEWS @latetackle The making of Ben Wilmot The latest offerings LIKE US ON FACEBOOK: Late Tackle Magazine 34. MARKETING!MAGIC 46. PLAYING!THEIR!PART SUBSCRIBE: Rebooting the Foxes The role of stewards www.latetacklemagazine.com CONTACT DETAILS: EDITED BY: David Emery, editor-in-chief, [email protected] John Lyons Sam Emery, head of advertising, [email protected] DESIGNED BY: Oli Clements, George Neil Wooding, circulation and subscriptions, [email protected] Parry Stoner, Nagib Tamusuza Pictures by PA Images Printed by Reach Published by Greenways Publishing Ltd

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 3 DERBY COUNTY

T ONLY seems like yesterday that a young Wayne Rooney was lighting up the Premier League. Today, the 35-year-old is in the Idugout at Derby County, taking up the dubious title of ‘interim’ boss. ROONEY’S Within a year of making his Rams debut as a player, he was thrust into the hotseat, backed up by a team of coaches including Liam Rosenior and Shay Given. Now having stepped back from playing matters to take full responsibility of this Derby side, fans are getting much more RAMS than they expected. At the time of writing, Rooney had over- seen nine games in the Championship. He’d tasted defeat in just two of those, picking up wins against Millwall, Swansea and Birmingham. Their 4-0 win in the latter at St An- drew’s was the product of careful plan- REVIVAL ning and preparation, and on the back of consistent performances that pulled LUKE!PHELPS!LOOKS!AT!HOW!WAYNE!ROONEY!IS Derby out of the bottom three. They’ve since dropped back in, but the SETTLING!INTO!MANAGERIAL!LIFE!AT!DERBY!COUNTY atmosphere surrounding the club is polar to that of three months ago. Rooney, Manchester United and Eng- land’s all-time top goalscorer, has proved deserved. hehe wasw deployed in. a shrewd defensive manager. Under his His initial arrival at Pride WithW him out of the watch, Derby had conceded just four Park as a player stirred eqequation playing-wise, it’s JRDOVDQGNHSW²YHFOHDQVKHHWVLQKLV some controversy, too. alallowed the likes of Knight opening games in charge. Joining on the back of anand Bielik to cement their He’s bringing through an exciting crop funding from club spon- plplace in the starting line-up, RISOD\HUVDQGWKHKRWVSRWLVLQPLG²HOG sor 32Red, Rooney was Talent: anand contribute to what is an the likes of Jason Knight, 19, and Krystian welcomed Jason Knight incrincreasinglye exciting Derby Bielik, 23, have shone,one, with Bielik’s Polish as the stastarr sside.ide. compatriot, wingerer KamiKamill JozwiaJozwiak,k, 22, hhee was. ButBut,, TTherehere is plenty of work to be emerging as a constantnstant threat. ququickly,ickly, ffans grgrewew ddoneon yet,tth though.h At the other end,d, DerbDerbyy are lacking cconcernedoncerned at his DDerby are far from safe and Rooney goals. But they’ve uncovered a new culcultt perperformancesformances on wilwilll know that his side aren’t out of the ²JXUHLQWKHYDVWO\H[SHULHQFHG&ROLQ\H[SHULHQFHG&ROLQ tthehe pitch, which wowoods. The next couple of months will be Kazim-Richards. TThehe 34-34-year-oldyear-old former hhadad deteriorateddeteriorated ccrucialru in their bid for survival and it will be Turkey international,nal, once of Brighton in the holding role a ststern test of his managerial credentials. DQG6KHI²HOG8QLWHGDQGODVWIRXQGWHGDQGODVWIRXQG HHis years of experience as a player playing his footballll in Mexico, has netted uundernd Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester three Championshiphip goals for the UnUnitedi should stand him in good stead. Rams. If any of that has rubbed off on Rooney, What we’re seeinging is a tthenhe it should make for good viewing. completely differentent Der-Der- HHis staff at Pride Park will be working by County side. UUHOHQWOHVVO\WR²QGWKHSOD\HUVUHTXLUHGWRHOH Rooney proved a kkeepee Derby in the Championship, but, for contentious replace-ce- nnow,ow the buck stops with Rooney. ment for Phillip Good shout: IIff he is given the nod permanently, he’ll Cocu, but the fanss Derby County bbee the second England stalwart to be- have warmed to interim cocome manager after Frank Lampard the him. His perma- manager seseason before last. nent appointmentt Wayne As with Lampard, could it prove just seems imminent Rooney a stepping stone to something much, and thoroughly mmuch bigger for Wayne Rooney?

4 LATE TACKLE ISSUESSSUUE 711 FOOTBALL SUPERSTAR

On top of the world: Celebrating winning the World Cup in Mexico in 1986

THE!HIGHS!AND!LOWS OF!DIEGO!MARADONA ROBERT!J!WILSON!TAKES!A!LOOK!BACK!AT!THE!ARGENTINIAN!LEGEND’S!INCREDIBLE!LIFE...

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 5 FOOTBALL SUPERSTAR

NOWN as El Pibe de Oro (The Golden Boy), Diego Maradona once revealed his ambitions for his career. Already at ease Kin front of a TV camera, the teenage sensation expressed his dreams for the future. “I have two dreams - one is to play in the World Cup, and the other is to be champion with my team.” If life is all about achieving dreams and goals, then they don’t get any bet- ter than that. The secret was already out by then with the majority of Europe’s top clubs pursuing his signature from Boca Jun- iors, for whom he had scored 28 goals from just 40 starts. Barcelona would eventually win that particular race with a world record transfer fee of £5m in June 1982. %DUHO\DPRQWKODWHUKLV²UVWWDVWHRI the World Cup (he was surprisingly left out of the 1978 winning squad) ended in defeat and disgrace against Brazil. With $UJHQWLQDWUDLOLQJWRWKHLU²HUFHVW rivals, Maradona’s studs-up challenge on the Brazilian substitute Batista saw him sent off with just minutes left. Four years later, though, and Mara- GRQDZRXOGIXO²OKLVSURSKHF\ZLWK VWXQQLQJEULOOLDQFHLQWKHVWL³LQJKHDWRI Mexico. One-man teams do not exist, but undeniably during Mexico ’86, that is the closest you will ever see to it. At the age of 25, Maradona had not RQO\FHPHQWHGKLVSODFHDVWKH²QHVW Hero: player of his generation, but arguably as Playing for the best ever. Napoli His virtuoso performances, most notably against his adopted country Italy and Uruguay in the group stages, the sworn enemy England in the quar- WHU²QDODQG%HOJLXPLQWKHVHPL²QDO WUDQV²[HGZRUOGDXGLHQFHV Beardsley before leaving Terry Fenwick, wards - but there is no doubt everyone Yes, he handled the ball past Peter Terry Butcher and then Shilton totally who viewed that goal at that time knew Shilton to possibly ‘cheat’ England out bamboozled. they were witnessing true greatness. of progression in the World Cup, but It was arguably the most beautiful ,WZDVTXLWHVLPSO\WKH²QHVWJRDORI there was no denying that only he could thing ever seen on a football pitch, even the century and was later voted as such. go on and score a goal like the second if the consequence of it meant England )URPWKDWTXDUWHU²QDORQZDUGV one. were out of the World Cup. Maradona’s life would never be the same When he did what is now commonly Gary Lineker, who would win the again. known as a ‘Maradona turn’ to em- Golden Boot in Mexico, thanks to his six Following the Falkands War four bark on that iconic burst from halfway, JRDOVWR'LHJR¬V²YHODWHUFODLPHGWKDW years previously, Maradona had enacted you could only admire the genius of despite watching his own team carved the perfect revenge on the English. the man. At just 5ft 5ins, his squat-like open, he felt like applauding. 7KH²UVWE\VWUHHWZLVHFKHDWLQJ7KH ²JXUHZLWKWKDWORZVHQVHRIJUDYLW\ Yes, we wanted to throttle him for the other by unrivalled ability. eluded the trailing Peter Reid and Peter ‘Hand of God’ mischief he spouted after- Both of those goals epitomised Diego

6 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 Testing times: In his Barcelona days

Taking charge: As Argentina manager

Maradona. He once stated that quar- marker Lothar Matthaus in close prox- they grew up watching and idolising - WHU²QDOZLQIHOWOLNH«EHDWLQJDZKROH imity on halfway, Maradona adjusted his but most Argentines would place Mara- country, not just a football team’. Many body perfectly to pop off a half volley dona ahead of Lionel Messi. Englishmen never forgave him but over straight through the heart of the Ger- In truth, that speaks volumes. He will the passing of time, many came to love man defence. forever be an emblem of Argentina. him too. With only four minutes remaining in His sudden but not totally unexpect- West Germany did everything they the Azteca Stadium, Maradona once ed passing on November 25 at the age possibly could to nullify his threat in the again demonstrated his mastery of a of just 60 was mourned all over the ²QDODQGWKH\QHDUO\VXFFHHGHGEXWLW football at the very highest level. world. Over a million people lined the was Maradona’s vision and subtlety of ,WLVDOZD\VGLI²FXOWWRFRPSDUHSOD\- VWUHHWVLQ%XHQRV$LUHVWRVHHKLVFRI²Q pass that released Jorge Burruchaga ers from different eras, but Maradona WDNHQWRLWV²QDOUHVWLQJSODFHQH[WWRKLV through on goal to win the World Cup. will be many people’s overwhelming parents and the army were deployed to Despite having Andreas Brehme, choice as their favourite. disperse huge gatherings all across the Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and his man Of course, that may depend on who country.

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 7 FOOTBALL SUPERSTAR

The Argentinian president Alberto also tragic because he also squandered Fernandez announced three days of so much of his talent. Although he tack- national mourning. Maradona was a man led his demons publicly, his lifestyle saw of his people. him self-destruct in the end. 7KHUHZHUHQXPHURXVFDQGOHOLWYLJLOV But on the pitch, with Diego at num- held in Naples, where he is regarded as ber 10, anything was possible. second only to God after inspiring the After returning from Mexico with the VOHHSLQJJLDQWRIWKHVRXWKWRWZR6FX- undisputed title as the best footballer GHWWRVDQGD8()$&XSGXULQJKLVVHYHQ on the planet, Maradona inspired Napoil years with the Gil Azzurri. WRWKHLU²UVWHYHUWLWOHDQGZRXOGUHSHDW The club retired his famous number the feat three years later. The UEFA Cup 10 shirt when he had left Naples as a DUULYHGLQDQGD&RSD,WDOLDLQ player and now, following his death, :KHQ1DSRLOFODLPHGWKDW²UVW6FX- KDYHQDPHGWKH6WDGLR6DQ3DRORLQKLV GHWWRJUDI²WLZDVVFUDZOHGRQDORFDO honour. cemetery stating that it was a shame +LVIRUPHUFOXE%DUFHORQDSURGXFHG that those who were laid to rest inside an emotional tribute before their home had missed it. game against Osasuna and all English Any Napoil fan who was lucky clubs held a one-minute silence before HQRXJKWRZLWQHVV0DUDGRQD¬VVHYHQ WKHLUZHHNHQG²[WXUHV VHDVRQVLQ,WDO\ZLOOQHYHUIRUJHW+LV With Maradona as their talisman, LPDJHVWRWKLVGD\DUHVWLOOYLVLEOHDOORYHU 1DSRLOZRXOG²QDOO\FRPSHWHDQG WKHFLW\%DUHZDOOVQRZVHUYHDVFDQ- defeat the powerhouses of the north YDVHVRI'LHJRSOD\LQJLQWKHFRORXUVRI DQG5RPH7KHVRXWKHUQ,WDOLDQVORYHG Napoli. There was a church and religious KLV²JKWLQJVSLULWDQGDVDQRXWVLGHU sect formed in his honour. himself, Maradona could relate to their 6XFKZDVKLVVWDQGLQJZLWK1HDSRO- underdog, immigrant tag. LWDQVWKDWGXULQJWKH:RUOG&XS +HKDGFRPHIURPOLWHUDOO\QRWKLQJ held in the country, Maradona asked the ERUQLQWRSRYHUW\ZLWKQRHOHFWULFLW\DQG southern-based fans to support Argen- running water in his home in Villa Fiorito. WLQDGXULQJWKHLUVHPL²QDOHQFRXQWHU +HRQO\KDGKLVIRRWEDOODVSRVVLEOH ZLWK,WDO\ escapism for him and his family. 7KHPDWFKZDVKHOGLQWKH6WDGLR6DQ )URPDYHU\\RXQJDJHKHKDGWKH Paolo and Maradona and his team were responsibility of being the main bread cheered by the south and booed by the ZLQQHUIRUKLVSDUHQWVDQGVHYHQRWKHU north. Argentina went on to beat the siblings. hosts on penalties and that triggered By possessing such an incredible WKHGHFOLQHRI0DUDGRQD¬VORYHDIIDLU talent, it was no surprise that he had an ZLWK,WDO\ XQWUXVWZRUWK\HQWRXUDJHZKHUHYHUKH /D*D]]HWWDGHOOR6SRUWEUDQGHG went throughout his adult life. 0DUDGRQDWKHGHYLORQLWVIURQWSDJH $ PUHFRUGWUDQVIHUWR1DSRLO 'XULQJ0DUDGRQD¬VSHDN\HDUVLQ,WDO\ RFFXUUHGMXVWEHIRUHWKH:RUOG&XS 6HULH$ZDVWKHULFKHVWOHDJXHLQWKH for two reasons. One because he had ZRUOGDQGWKHWRSSOD\HUV³RRGHGWKHUH instigated a mass brawl at the conclu- for the wealth and challenge. VLRQRIWKH&RSDGHO5H\²QDODJDLQVW El Diego was the main attraction Athletic Bilbao in front of King Juan and the authorities often turned a Carlos. The second was because he was EOLQGH\HWRKLVRIIWKH²HOGDQWLFV+H YLUWXDOO\OHIWVNLQWDIWHUKLVDJHQWKDG was certainly no saint, mixing with the PDGHDQXPEHURIGLVDVWURXVLQYHVW- dangerous Camorra and endangering ments on his behalf. KLVRZQOLIHZLWKKHDY\GULQNLQJDQG 2IIWKH²HOGRISOD\KLVOLIHZDVD cocaine-fuelled nights out. Training was tumbling mess. Engrossed in drug usually switched to afternoon sessions, abuse, shooting at journalists, fathering so Diego could sleep in late. illegitimate children, enduring a messy ,WDO\ZHUHIXOO\H[SHFWHGWRZLQWKH GLYRUFHDVVDXOWFKDUJHVSV\FKLDWULF World Cup on home soil and when they problems – it was all played out in front didn’t, Maradona became the scape- RIKLVDGRULQJSXEOLFOLNHDFUD]\6RXWK JRDW,QWKHHQGKHHYHQWXDOO\GHSDUWHG American soap opera. 1DSOHVLQDIWHUVHUYLQJDPRQWK +LVOLIHVWRU\IURPVKDQW\WRZQWR ban for failing a drugs test. Cocaine was World Cup winner was fascinating - but now unsurprisingly found in his system.

8 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 Saint and sinner: Maradona glides past England’s Peter Shilton and Terry Butcher to score his wonder goal after, inset, using his fist to net a hugely controversial opener

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 9 FOOTBALL SUPERSTAR

A return to Spain, this time to Sevilla instead of the reportedly interested Real Madrid, resulted in only glimpses of his breath-taking brilliance. Injuries and poor lifestyle choices began to take their toll on his ageing body. By 1993, he had returned to his native Argentina and began to wind his playing career down with stints at Newell’s Old Boys and his boyhood heroes Boca Juniors. There was meant to be one memora- EOH²QDOHDWWKH:RUOG&XSLQWKH United States. Despite turning 33, Mara- GRQDZRUNHGWLUHOHVVO\WRJHWKLPVHOI²W for the tournament. He looked trim and athletic enough to contribute, but his VXEVHTXHQWJRDOLQDYLFWRU\RYHU Greece and the glazed-eye celebration revealed underlying problems. In the following game, when he departed the pitch hand-in-hand with a female drug inspector against Nigeria, it probably epitomised the second half of Sadness: Tributes his career. following Maradona’s Maradona subsequently failed the death in November test for the performance-enhancing drug ephedrine and FIFA excluded him IURPWKHWRXUQDPHQW1RWIRUWKH²UVW time, he spoke of conspiracies and FIFA preferring the legacy of Pele and all that – but the game was well and truly up. ,WZDVDVDGHQGWRDPDJQL²FHQWEXW chequered career. Like many great players, Maradona didn’t make a great manager. His name alone would have got him jobs, most QRWDEO\OHDGLQJKLVFRXQWU\LQWKH :RUOG&XSLQ6RXWK$IULFD$UJHQWLQD ZHUHKDPPHUHGE\*HUPDQ\LQWKH TXDUWHU²QDOV Further appointments in mediocre football were more of a PR stunt than anything else. He never regained the pinnacle of his remarkable playing Maradona’s death broke the hearts $GLYLQH²JXUHQRWWKHYHU\RYHU- career. of many people who consider him to be weight, slow-walking man he became 0DUDGRQDDOZD\VKDGKLVRII²HOG the greatest to have graced the game. ODWHURQLQOLIH,WZDVSDLQVWDNLQJO\GLI²- problems and his ill health consumed by For those of us who remember his cult to watch him decline. drug and alcohol addiction, obesity and brilliance on the pitch, part of our child- But what a life he had. heart issues made things extremely dif- hood died with Diego. Lionel Messi, who he coached for ²FXOW+HZRXOGRIWHQELQJHWKHQGHWR[ A genius, godlike, madman, or a the national team, once humbly said: and appear remarkably well again after cheat…whatever you wish to label him “Even if I played for a million years, I’d WDNLQJRQD²WQHVVUHJLPH as. never come close to Maradona. Not that He dodged death many times, but Love him or despise him. I’d want to anyway. He’s the greatest in the end his heart couldn’t cope with El Diez was a true legend of the there’s ever been.” WKHVWUHVVRIOHDGLQJDKRXUOLIHVW\OH beautiful game. An absolute genius with 'LHJR$UPDQGR0DUDGRQD  where everyone wants a piece of you. the ball at his feet. 

10 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 LEEDS UNITED GLOVE STORY BEN!ROBINSON!EXAMINES!THE!IMPACT OF!LEEDS!UNITED’S!YOUNG!GOALKEEPER

Full stretch: Leeds keeper Illan Meslier saves against Everton

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 11 LEEDS UNITED

Back in the big time: Leeds celebrate promotion to the Premier League OU’D be forgiven for not knowing who Illan Mesli- er was before this season began, but the young shot-stopperY has certainly turned heads with stunning performances for newly promoted Leeds United. Coming into the season, it was not known who would end up playing between the sticks for Marcelo Bielsa’s side. Former Real Madrid keeper Kiko Casilla had fallen out of favour following his eight-match suspension for racially abusing Charlton forward Jonathan Leko and it was widely reported Leeds would sign a new keeper, with Sergio Romero and Emiliano Martinez as the two most cited in the press. However, it was the 20-year-old Frenchman who would end up with the No.1 shirt, to the surprise of almost everyone outside of Elland Road. The Frenchman initially joined Leeds on a season-long loan in 2019 from Lori- ent, for whom he played 30 times in the French second tier during the 2018-19 in the remaining ten Championship Meslier was not often called upon to dig season. ²[WXUHVDV/HHGVEUHH]HGWKHLUZD\WR Leeds out of trouble in the second tier. Meslier spent the majority of last the title. Nevertheless, it is Meslier’s doubters season as understudy to Casilla. It took Following promotion, the Whites who have ended up with the proverbial XQWLO-DQXDU\IRU0HVOLHUWR²UVWSXOORQ were quick to secure his signature, acti- pie in the face. the United jersey, against Arsenal in the vating a clause in his contract that gave Following a 16-year absence, Leeds FA Cup. Leeds the option to buy. The fee was DUH²QDOO\EDFNLQWKH3UHPLHU/HDJXH Despite still being a teenager at the widely reported to be around the £5m and nobody could have predicted the time, Meslier was sensational between mark, which could turn out to be one of H[FLWHPHQWWKHLU²UVWWZRJDPHVZRXOG the sticks in a 1-0 defeat and earned the the signings of the summer. bring. They both ended 4-3 (with Leeds admiration of fans and pundits alike. With the exception of Patrick Bam- being on both the winning and losing The BBC reported that the rookie had ford, Meslier has been arguably the end of the scoreline), but, despite con- ‘impressed with his distribution skills and VWDQGRXWSOD\HUIRU/HHGVLQWKHLU²UVW ceding seven in two games, Meslier had an assuredness beyond his years’. It was VHDVRQEDFNLQWKHWRS³LJKW put in solid performances. a sign of things to come. Despite having one of the worst re- However, it was his man-of-the-match In February, following Casilla’s ban, cords for goals conceded in the league, SHUIRUPDQFHDJDLQVW6KHI²HOG8QLWHG Leeds had no other choice but to give the Leeds keeper has been one of their that would silence the naysayers and Meslier his chance. most consistent performers. prove he has what it takes to start in the Bielsa handed him his Championship It was never a given that Meslier Premier League. debut against Yorkshire rivals Hull. ZRXOGWDNHWRWRS³LJKWIRRWEDOO*LYHQ Both fans and pundits alike applaud- Meslier seized the opportunity, help- his age, many doubted he had the ed Meslier for his performance against ing Leeds clinch a 4-0 victory at the PHQWDOVWUHQJWKRUH[SHULHQFHWREH²UVW the Blades, following stunning saves KCOM. choice in the Premier League. WRGHQ\-RKQ/XQGVWUDPDQG*HRUJH When football returned in June after Additionally, critics questioned the Baldock BT Sport pundit Robbie Savage ORFNGRZQ/HHGVZHUH²JKWLQJIRU young keeper’s build. Despite his height, described Meslier’s display as ‘one of automatic promotion. After returning he possesses a slender frame and many the best I have seen for a long time from with a 2-0 loss at the hands of Cardiff, wondered how he might fare under a young goalkeeper’, adding that ‘he Leeds fans were fearful that any slip SK\VLFDOSUHVVXUHLQWKHWRS³LJKW made two absolutely world-class saves’. would allow the chasing pack to close It was also argued amongst support- Following a clean sheet away at As- WKHJDSDQGFOLQFKDWRSWZR²QLVKDW ers that Meslier had never truly been ton Villa, Leeds hit a rough patch, ship- their expense. tested given that Leeds often dominat- ping eight goals in two games, including Considering the high-pressure stakes, ed games in the Championship. a freak Helder Costa own goal at Crystal it is even more impressive that Meslier With captain Liam Cooper and the Palace. then went on to keep seven clean sheets assured Ben White in front of him, Some may argue Meslier should have

12 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 Top-class: Dean Henderson recorded sensational passing comple- tion percentages, achieving 80 per cent against Arsenal, 81.8 per cent against Everton, 92.9 per cent against Chelsea and 87.5 per cent against Manchester United. Amazingly, in their win against New- castle, the Frenchman attempted 27 passes (with a succession rate of almost 90 per cent). Only three Toon players managed to attempt more than him, with a much lower completion rate Similarly, against West Brom, Meslier completed 22 passes, which was more than any West Brom player (21). In addition to his immense goalkeep- ing talent, both in terms of shot-stop- ping and on-the-ball ability, Meslier also has a wise head on his shoulders. Bielsa has been quick to note this Backing: Leeds manager Marcelo in interviews, telling reporters: “He’s a Bielsa has given Illan Meslier his player who is very strong mentally, who opportunity in the top-flight has character. “To play in the Premier League always demands you to be strong mentally and covered his near post, but it was clear which were from inside the box. Follow- you can’t play at this level without per- that the incident was a one-off. The ing the harrowing defeat at the hands sonality and without character.” young keeper himself was even unsure of their bitter rivals, pundits began to Despite Meslier playing well, in recent of what had happened, turning to watch criticise Leeds’ style of play. weeks Leeds have been linked with the the goal-replay on the stadium big The Whites now had one of the worst signature of Dean Henderson, who has screen in disbelief. defensive records in the league and it been unable to retain his place in Man- After these results, it would be un- was paramount the team stopped con- chester United’s starting line-up follow- derstandable for any keeper to crumble ceding so many goals. ing David de Gea’s return from injury. under pressure. It would weigh heavy on Despite being largely blameless for But I believe Meslier is the preferable even an experienced shot-stopper. Leeds’ defensive woes, it was crucial option for Bielsa, given the Argentine However, the young keeper has done Meslier delivered in the upcoming coach’s emphasis on possession-based anything but. In United’s next game games against potential relegation rivals football and playing from the back. against Arsenal, Meslier made it known Burnley and West Brom. This season he has shown he can pull once again why he is Leeds’ No.1. He Against the Clarets, Meslier pulled off off world-class saves and is comfortable ZDVLQ²QHIRUPSURGXFLQJVHQVDWLRQ- a man of the match performance. He playing from the back, even in Europe’s al saves to deny both Pierre-Emerick played with an assuredness beyond his most competitive league. Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka on an af- years to secure a crucial clean sheet. Given that he is only 20 years of age, ternoon where he had to stay alert amid His display earned him plaudits from he should continue to grow as a player, long quiet spells. two former England keepers in Nigel with keepers traditionally hitting their In the following game against Ever- Martyn (an ex-Leeds keeper) and David peak in their late 20s to early 30s. ton, Meslier recorded his second clean James, with the latter applauding his If the young keeper can continue to VKHHWLQDURZLQ²QHIDVKLRQ+HPDGH ability to deal with the onslaught of progress at the level he is currently, I HLJKWVDYHVLQFOXGLQJ²YHIURPLQVLGH Burnley crosses in particular. cannot see any reason why he will not the box; the highlight being a brilliant Owing to Leeds’ defensive naivety, go on to be France’s main man between stop following Abdoulaye Doucoure’s Meslier had made 63 saves in total (up the sticks and assert himself as one of close-range strike. to and including the West Brom game). Europe’s top goalkeepers. Despite losing to Chelsea, he man- It meant that only Sam Johnstone (West )ROORZLQJWKH6KHI²HOG8QLWHGJDPH DJHGWRSXOORIIDQXPEHURI²QHVDYHV Brom) had made more saves than him in Bamford told BT Sport that: “Every shot Similarly, in the loss away at Old Traf- the Premier League. he (Meslier) saved, their players were ford, Meslier was still impressive despite Moreover, it isn’t all about clean like ‘Who is this guy?’.” shipping six goals. If it hadn’t been for sheets and saves for Leeds. Bielsa’s If he can keep performing at the level the young keeper’s efforts, the scoreline philosophy demands a keeper who is he has done so far this season, it won’t would have been in double digits, with comfortable playing from the back. be long until the entire footballing world Meslier pulling off eight saves, six of Throughout the season Meslier has knows the name Illan Meslier.

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 13 SWANSEA CITY

Fun times: Steve Cooper is putting Swansea in the hunt for promotion again this season

SUPER COOPER HENRY!CLARK!EXAMINES!THE!PATH!TAKEN!BY SWANSEA!CITY’S!IMPRESSIVE!MANAGER!STEVE!COOPER

14 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 HE last few years have seen former greats of the game in Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney all make Tthe transition into management following glittering careers on the pitch. But not all coaches are made having played at the highest level. Some, such as Swansea boss Steve Cooper, who spent his playing days as a defender in the Welsh leagues with the likes of Bangor City, come from a completely different background. Some see coming into management with a lesser-known reputation as ben- H²FLDOZLWKOHVVH[SHFWDWLRQWRKLWWKH heights. But for those like Pontypridd-born Cooper who are chasing a chance at the Influential: top level of the game, it often means a Swansea JUHDWGHDORIVDFUL²FHORZHUGRZQWKH striker Andre footballing pyramid. Ayew While Lampard, Gerrard and Rooney may have been focused on straining every sinew out of their ability in the peak of Southgate, who graduated from the same swooped for Cooper. From the outside, their careers, the 41-year-old was always role with the Under-21 side. South Wales seemed to be the perfect one with an eye on the future. It says a great deal about their faith in setting for his development as a manager. He combined his playing commitments Cooper, still untested as a coach in senior The club has shown considerable ambi- ZLWKFRDFKLQJDWWKH:UH[KDPDFDGH- football, that they saw him as the perfect tion, highlighted by a lengthy spell in the my and subsequently became one of person to coach some of England’s young WRS³LJKWDQGKDYHEHHQUHYHUHGIRUWKHLU the youngest ever managers to get their stars of the future. style of football, particularly under Rober- UEFA Pro Licence, aged just 27. 7LPHVSHQWFRDFKLQJ²UVWWKH(QJODQG to Martinez and Brendan Rodgers. A job in the Liverpool academy fol- Under-16 side and then the Under-17s Although his reign ended in a sour lowed where Cooper worked with the saw Cooper oversee the development of manner with supporters, former chairman likes of future England internationals Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho, Man- Huw Jenkins was well aware that a stylis- 5DKHHP6WHUOLQJDQG7UHQW$OH[DQGHU$U- chester City’s Phil Foden and Chelsea’s tic precedent had been set for the type of nold. Particularly telling was the Welsh- Callum Hudson-Odoi, three youngsters manager the Swans fans would accept. man’s interview following a 4-1 aggregate that have all since gone on to earn caps It was something that was largely defeat to Chelsea in the 2012-13 FA Youth for the Three Lions. ignored under a plethora of managers in &XSVHPL²QDO A particular highlight of his time with WKH²QDOGD\VRIWKHLUWLPHLQWKH3UHPLHU In stark contrast to most managers, England came when Cooper led the side League, something that irked Swansea Cooper maintained his pride that, even in to an Under-17 World Cup success, a sig- fans who became tired of negative, lack- defeat, his side had stuck to the principles QL²FDQWPRPHQWIRUWKH)$ZKRVDZWKH lustre football. he had instilled in them. YLFWRU\DVFRQ²UPDWLRQWKDWWKHZKHHOVLQ A return to the Championship sparked a He told the Liverpool Echo: “It was quite their long-term vision were beginning to desire from the board and fans to recover important that even though we were roll. some dazzle back on the pitch, too. Potter losing 2-0, the idea was to still play our 7KDWWURSK\VHUYHGDVFRQ²UPDWLRQWKDW had proved to be a popular appointment way and maybe take a few more risks and Cooper, son of former referee Keith, had with his high-energy, attacking style of press and get a few people higher up the laid the foundations for his future coach- play, so much so that a Premier League pitch.” ing career at the higher levels. club came in for him. It’s a mentality that has stuck with He demonstrated he knew what was The Swans felt Cooper was the perfect Cooper and his teams through to this day. required to win silverware, albeit at the ²WWRFDUU\RQ3RWWHU¬VZRUNDQGXOWLPDWH- 7KH)$FDPHFDOOLQJKDYLQJLGHQWL²HG junior level, and had developed a clear ly lead the side back into the Premier Cooper as the ideal candidate to lead philosophy of how he wanted to play the League. their long-term vision of a consistent foot- game. The latter is a quality that some- After getting the Swans off to their best balling philosophy from the youth teams times even the most senior coaches can start in the league for 41 years last season, right through to the senior side. be accused of lacking nowadays. things looked promising. The FA’s commitment to personal After losing another promising British Under their new boss’ 4-2-3-1 formation development of their coaches is most manager of their own, Graham Potter, they were playing some dazzling football obvious with current England boss Gareth to Premier League Brighton, Swansea with his defenders encouraged to be

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 15 SWANSEA CITY

Class act: Swans skipper brave on the ball and play out from the Matt Grimes back with the full-backs also pushing high and, inset, up the pitch to offer an added dimension former boss in attack. Graham Potter 7KH³XLGLW\XSIURQWZDVV particularly impressive withth a highly interchangeable front-line centring around the technically-gifted Andre Ayew. Cooper also used his previous ties with England to entice the likes of Conor Gallagher, Rhian Brewster and Marc Guehi to the Liberty Stadiumum at various points throughoutout the season which brought a youthfulthf l edged and exuberance to the squad. It was around November 2019 when things began to somewhat unravel with whispers that some opposition teams had managed to unpick Cooper’s Swansea. Teams were exploiting space left free by Frank’s side, one of the best attacking perfectly and, most importantly, provides their buccaneering full-backs and high- sides in the league. More importantly, a goals with full-backs Jake Bidwell and line which caused issues against teams blueprint for success had been estab- Connor Roberts gallivanting down the willing to sit in and defend before hitting lished, expectations had been raised and ³DQNVDQGFDXVLQJKDYRFLQWKHRSSRVL- them on the counter-attack or trying to excitement for what the 2020-21 season tion box with their excellent crossing. take on and beat the press. had in store were palpable. Club captain Matt Grimes has had to There were also concerns that whilst the Cooper has refused to allow his vision bide his time for an opportunity at the Swans would regularly dominate posses- WREHLPSDLUHGE\²QDQFHVWRR,QIDFW club following a series of spells out on sion, they were unable to use it mean- during his tenure, the Swans have re- loan but alongside Scotsman Jay Fulton, ingfully to attack the opposition, often couped over £50m in transfer fees and he adds bite in the middle of the park leading to large, uninspiring passages of spent just a miserly £1.5m; it’s clear this to allow the creative players to express play. former academy manager has got a bit of themselves further up the pitch. So often the downfall of coaches can be business nous about him too. There’s a distinctly more pragmatic their refusal to adapt. Whilst some man- This season the defence is much approach to the Swans but one that has agers see changing system or personnel improved and saw the Welsh side, rather also sparked a far more enigmatic side to as a personal attack that undermines amazingly, concede just 12 times in their the team which was found wanting last them, possessing the self-awarenessawareness to opening 21 gamesgames. season at times. identify weaknesses and adapt,dapt, not EEvenven after the big loss of Joe Although there’s little room for senti- change, systems is one of tthehe most Rodon to SpursSpurs in the summer ment in football, it’s particularly pleasing valuable tools a coach can acacquire.quire. window,window, CooCooperpe seems to to see a Welsh coach succeeding with a Heading into the lockdownwn last havehave nailed thethe balance of the FOXEIURPDQDWLRQZLWK²QHIRRWEDOOLQJ March, Cooper recognised there were side.side. pedigree. issues and sought to adaptt them bbyy TheThe experiencedexperience Ryan Ben- It’s also encouraging to see that the sys- changing to a 3-5-2 (3-4-1-2)-2) systemsystem nettnett marshalsmarsha an other- tem put in place to develop young British to give them added defensivesive wise yyouthfulo back coaches appears to be working. stability and a more balancedced threethree made up of Whilst Cooper has had to take a some- attack. academyaca graduate what alternative route, it seems it won’t be Results after that period BenBe Cabango long until he is given a chance at the top and change were good andan Chelsea level. enough to drag the Swans loaneelo Guehi. ,IWKH6ZDQVFRQWLQXHWKHLU²QHIRUP into the play-offs on goal With a reluc- this season, it could well be whilst in difference where they tanceta to play charge of them that he will pit himself were narrowly beaten ana out-and-out against some of the talent he nurtured in LQWKHVHPL²QDOVE\ All-smiles: numbern nine, his and their earlier days. Brentford. Celebrating AyewA and Jamal ● Henry Clark’s blog is henryclarksports- There was no shame winning the Lowe’sLo versatil- journalist.wordpress.com and he’s on in losing out to Thomas U17 World Cup LWLW\²WVWKHV\VWHP\² Twitter: @HenryWAClark

16 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 MEMORY LANE MAY 1994

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 17 ITALIAN LEGEND

+(EHDXW\RIIRRWEDOOLVWKDW the best team do not always win. That element of surprise, of the underdog defeating the Tfavourite is what continues to captivate audiences around the world. The old saying goes that ‘everyone loves an underdog’ and we tend to be PAOLO’S! drawn to David instead of Goliath – but that is not always strictly true. Sometimes we are so memorised and entertained by the favourite that we want them to win. If they fall short or suffer that sporting upset, then we are genuinely devastated. The history of the World Cup is lit- tered with examples of this. PERFECT Brazilians in 1950 were left absolutely shell-shocked when their South Ameri- ROBERT!J!WILSON!RECALLS can rivals Uruguay won the World Cup on their home soil. The nation mourned WHEN!PAOLO!ROSSI for days following their late 2-1 defeat in Rio. REDISCOVERED!HIS!GOAL-DEN )RXU\HDUVODWHU+XQJDU\¬V formation appeared unstoppable in TOUCH!AND!BROKE Switzerland, but they were beaten by :HVW*HUPDQ\LQWKH²QDODIWHUSUHYL- DAY BRAZILIAN!HEARTS... ously hammering them 8-3 in the group stages. The Total Football of the Dutch in the Soviet Union, Scotland and New Maradona sent off in the closing minutes VKRXOGKDYHVHHQ5LQXV0LFKHOV¬ Zealand, they strolled to the top of the for a high challenge on the Brazilian VLGHOLIWWKH:RUOG&XSIRUWKH²UVWWLPH group, scoring ten goals in their three substitute Batista. EXWWKHLUDUWLVWLF³DLUIHOOVKRUWDJDLQVW matches, conceding just twice, one With Italy beating Argentina 2-1, it those pesky Germans once again in an absolute screamer from Scotland’s meant Brazil’s extra goal against their Munich. David Narey. South American rivals would see them At Mexico ’86, Denmark ignited In the old World Cup format, Brazil through to the last four if they avoided the group stages, scoring six against were then handed the Group of Death GHIHDWLQWKHLU²QDOJURXSJDPHDJDLQVW Uruguay and defeating Scotland and for the second round group stage. Now the Azzurri. HYHQWXDO²QDOLVWV:HVW*HUPDQ\EXW based in Barcelona, Group C consisted By that point, Brazil had become the world was left stunned when Spain of Brazil, Argentina and Italy for a place everyone’s second favourite team and destroyed them 5-1 in the second round. LQWKHVHPL²QDO nobody outside of Italy doubted that it Four years previously, Brazil pro- Brazil easily dispatched Argentina would be them moving across Barcelo- duced their best side since 1970 and in their opening game, winning 3-1 in QDWRFRQWHVWWKHVHPL²QDOLQWKH1RX following friendly wins over France, a match that saw a frustrated Diego Camp. *HUPDQ\DQG(QJODQGLQWKH What they didn’t plan for was build-up to the tournament in thethe resurgence of one man - Spain, Tele Santana’s side were PaoloPa Rossi. instantly installed as over- Rossi was lucky to be in Spain whelming favourites to lift the LQWKH²UVWSODFH+LVLQYROYHLQ - trophy for a fourth time. PHQWLQWKH7RWRQHURPDWFK²[P - There was no doubting that inging scandal that had shaken Brazil possessed a world-class ItalianIta football in 1980 had seen PLG²HOGFRQVLVWLQJRI=LFR himhim banned from football for 6RFUDWHV)DOFDRDQG(GHUEXW threeth years. they had their weaknesses too As a 21-year-old, Rossi had at the back and had to rely on bebeen a key part of Italy’s 1978 the unorthodox and unsophisti- WWorld Cup squad, scoring three cated forward Serginho to lead gogoals when teaming up with the the line. susublime Roberto Bettega, but Drawn in Group 6 with ththe ban banished him from the

18 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 On the burst: Paolo Rossi in action against Brazil and, inset, celebrating scoring against them

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 19 ITALIAN LEGEND

European Championships in the summer of 1980 and it appeared he would miss the World Cup, too. Rossi always protested his innocence over the betting scandal that occurred between his club at the time, Perugia, and Avellino. One of the key accusers later admitted fabricating the forward’s involvement in the 2-2 draw. Rossi had scored both goals in the match but now, suspended from football, he had to work in a sportswear company. On appeal, his sentence was reduced to two years and Italy boss Enzo Bear- zot took one almighty gamble on the Juventus forward. His ban ended in April 1982 and short RQPDWFK²WQHVVDQGWKHVKDUSQHVVKH relied on inside the box, Rossi appeared a shadow of his former self in the open- ing games of the World Cup. Italy were held to a goalless draw in their opening game against Poland and against Peru, Rossi complained of sick- ness and had to be withdrawn just after half-time. The game ended 1-1 in Vigo, as GLGWKHLU²QDOJDPHDJDLQVW&DPHURRQ 5HPDUNDEO\,WDO\TXDOL²HGIRUWKH second stage by virtual of three draws and one more goal than the Africans - but their form was so poor, no-one had predicted they would acquire the results Estadio Sarria. With growing against Argentina and Brazil in order to The opportun- FRQ²GHQFH progress further. ist goalscorer he took one Rossi missed a one-on-one situation would go on to touch to evade with the Argentine goalkeeper Ubaldo write his name thet challenge of Fillol and Italy needed goals from Marco forever in World Junior,Ju another to 7DUGHOOLDQG$QWRQLR&DEULQLWRLQ³LFWD Cup folklore. getge it out of his feet surprise 2-1 win over the current holders. Rossi repaid hiss beforebefo smashing it A sluggish Rossi was booked inside 15 coach’s faith insidee pastpast ValdirVa Peres from minutes and was once again substituted ²YHPLQXWHVZKHQUXQQUXQ- thethe edge of the box. for Alessandro Altobelli. ning onto Cabrini’ss perfectperfect FollowingFollowing his error, Cerezo There were calls in the Italian press FURVVWRKHDGKRPHKLV²UVWJRDORI broke down in tears and was incon- for Altobelli to replace Rossi for the the tournament. It was as if the weight solable at half-time. Brazil match but Bearzot ignored the of the world was lifted from his shoul- Italy, with their 3-5-2 sweeper system, hysteria. ders. set about defending their lead. Zoff, at The Italians had already developed a 5RVVLODWHUVDLGKLPVHOIWKDWKLV²UVW 40, was in exceptional form and denied siege mentality against the media after goal ‘psychologically changed me and Zico and Eder. Meanwhile, Serginho one outrageous story had claimed that from that moment on my World Cup FRQWLQXHGWREHUDVKZLWKKLV²QLVKLQJ Rossi and his team-mate Cabrini were in completely changed’. dragging one wastefully wide with just a relationship. Brazil were level inside 20 minutes af- Zoff to beat. They had been heavily criticised for ter Zico’s sublime turn and pass missed In the 68th minute, though, a clever their inept performances in the group out three Italians and Socrates planted dummy run from Cerezo allowed Falcao stage and the majority claimed that the veteran goalkeeper Dino Zoff on his the time and space to smash home an Bearzot was wrong to gamble on Rossi EDFNVLGHZLWKKLVVLGHIRRWHG²QLVK equaliser with his cultured left-foot past after he had been out of football for so Just when it looked as though a helpless Zoff. long. Brazil were taking control of the game, Falcao believed his goal would be 3LSHVPRNLQJ%HDU]RWVLPSO\GH²HG defender Toninho Cerezo hit a blind one that would take his country to the almost everyone and selected Rossi square pass in the direction of Junior VHPL²QDODQGFHOHEUDWHGZLWKWKH%UD- once again for the showdown at the and Rossi pounced for the second time. zilian bench as such.

20 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 Pipe dream: Italy coach Enzo Bearzot

Crucial moment: Rossi slides the ball past Brazil goalkeeper DOLWUHVRIWKHLUYLQWDJH+LVQLQH Waldir Peres to score the winner goals over 14 World Cup matches makes and complete his hat-trick him Italy’s joint leading marksman with Inset: Brazil celebrate Socrates’ 5REHUWR%DJJLRDQG&KULVWLDQ9LHUL+H goal which made it 1-1 is a true legend of our game. 5RVVLVFRUHGJRDOVLQJDPHV for his country and at club level with Juventus, his extensive honours list includes two Serie A titles, the Coppa Italia and European Cup Winners’ Cup. +HDOVRZRQWKH(XURSHDQ&XSLQ Brazil didn’t need to win the game, wouldn’t be returning without the when, sadly, 39 Juventus supporters but it wasn’t in their DNA to play for a trophy. Outside of Italy, Rossi’s tripletta GLHGDWWKH+H\VHO6WDGLXP,WZRXOGEH draw. They were certainly not gung-ho is probably the least celebrated in the KLV²QDOJDPHIRUWKHFOXE LQWKHLUDSSURDFKLQWKRVH²QDOPLQ- history of the game, but it will forever be +HDOVRZHQWWR0H[LFR¬DVDPHP- utes and they were all back inside their an historic moment in football. ber of Bearzot’s squad, but never played own penalty area at the corner from 1RZEULPPLQJZLWKFRQ²GHQFH another minute in the World Cup. which Rossi would complete his unfor- Rossi would go on to score twice in the After leaving Turin, he spent a season gettable hat-trick. VHPL²QDOWRGLVSHQVHRI3RODQGDQGKH DWERWK$&0LODQDQG9HURQDEHIRUH During the second phase of the cor- ZRXOGDOVRVFRUHWKHRSHQHULQWKH²QDO retiring from the game in 1987 aged just ner, the ball was cleared only to Tardelli against West Germany. GXHWRSHUVLVWHQWLQMXU\ lurking on the edge of the 18-yard box. Despite Cabrini missing an early pen- Always a private and reserved person, As the headed clearance dropped from alty and Italy missing Rossi’s hardwork- Rossi would avoid the limelight once he WKHVN\KHFDXJKWLWRQWKHYROOH\WR²UH ing strike partner Giancarlo Antognoni ²QLVKHGSOD\LQJ+HQHYHUFRDFKHGRU it towards goal and there was Rossi to through injury, the resurgent Italians managed, preferring to tend to his farm swing and whip the ball into the back ZRXOGJRRQWRZLQLQ0DGULGWKDQNV in Tuscany, producing its own wine and of the net from close range. It was the to goals from Rossi, Tardelli and substi- ROLYHRLO+HDOVRZRUNHGH[WHQVLYHO\ZLWK XOWLPDWHSRDFKHU¬V²QLVKDQG5RVVLKDG tute Altobelli. hunger charities, dabbled in real estate somehow managed to get himself com- Rossi’s resurrection in Spain played a and did some punditry. pletely free to score the winning goal. major role in his country lifting the tro- There was probably not a day that ,WDO\¬VOHWKDOQXPEHUZKRKDGQRW SK\IRUDWKLUGWLPHDQGWKHLU²UVWVLQFH went by when someone didn’t mention even looked like scoring in their opening +LVVL[JRDOVVDZKLPFODLPWKH that hat-trick against Brazil to him. In four games of the World Cup, had only Golden Boot and the Golden Ball as the a year sadly marred by a plethora of gone and scored a hat-trick to knock 3OD\HURIWKH7RXUQDPHQW+HUHPDLQV former footballers’ deaths, Paolo Rossi out the nailed on favourites. the only man in history to have won died from lung cancer on December 9 at -XVWOLNHLQ%UD]LOZHUHFUHVW- both awards and have a winner’s medal WKHDJHRI fallen. Their fanatical supporters wept to complete the set. +LVOHJDF\DVWKHIR[LQWKHER[JRDO openly on the terraces and there were For his efforts in Spain, one Italian poacher who shocked Brazil and the reports of suicides in Rio and in other footwear company promised Rossi IRRWEDOOLQJZRUOGLQZLOOOLYHORQJLQ parts of Brazil. No-one believed they shoes for life and a vineyard gave him the memory.

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 21 FOOTBALL EXPERIMENT HARRY!KANE!-!!!! NATHAN!GORNALL!EXAMINES!WHAT!WOULD!HAPPEN!IF!ONE!PLAYER!IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Y FRIEND Stu asked me tal rather than physical. So what links the following question: FKDPSLRQVRIYHUVDWLOLW\")RUWKHPRVW Imagine each team part, they are strong, mobile, quick, can clone one player in technical players who can score goals MWKHLUVTXDGWR²OOHYHU\VLQJOHRXW²HOG and defend. position. For purposes of fairness, This should be the basis of our crite- HYHU\WHDPKDVDQDYHUDJHJRDONHHS- ULDIRU²QGLQJWKHPRVWVXLWDEOHSOD\HU er - Lukasz Fabianski. Who would they RQHDFKWHDPWRFORQHIRUDOOWHQRXW²HOG choose, and who would win the league? positions. (In fact a full league table would be ,W¬VDOVRFOHDUWKH\PXVWKDYHWKHULJKW nice). mentality, and to win this league they’ll Well, Stu, here’s your answer: need to be able to adapt to different My initial reaction was fairly simple. team tactics, so must be able to head Who is each team’s best player, and the ball. I’d fancy a team of Conor how do they rank? We’ll be looking at Coadys to beat a team of Raheem 0DQFKHVWHU&LW\¬V.HYLQ'H%UX\QHIRU Sterlings by employing a bit of sure, but then is it Mo Salah, Sadio Mane long ball, for example. RU9LUJLOYDQ'LMNIRU/LYHUSRRO"+DUU\ At this stage, I relied on Kane’s an easy choice for Spurs, as is expertise from football’s %UXQR)HUQDQGHVIRU0DQFKHVWHU8QLW- greatest experts, its fans. HGEXW&KHOVHDKDYHWRRPDQ\JRRG Thankfully, I had ac- players to choose from. And do Arsenal cess to opinions on UHDOO\KDYHDQ\JRRGSOD\HUVDWDOO" HYHU\WHDPLQWKH At this point I start to think, is it really Premier League. the team’s best players we’re after? Or Some answers were WKHPRVWYHUVDWLOH",QZKLFKFDVHLV easy. “Kane’s our best James Milner going to walk this hypo- centre-back, No.10, striker and probably WKHWLFDOOHDJXH"(YHUWRQ¬VEULJKWVSDUN HYHU\WKLQJHOVH§KH¬OOZLQWKHOHDJXHª James Rodriguez is going to struggle Some were harder. My oddly large at centre-back, so perhaps they choose pool of friends that support Newcastle Abdoulaye Doucoure? Is John Lund- DOOJDYHPHVRPHRQHGLIIHUHQW&DOOXP stram getting in the top four? Can any- :LOVRQ-RQMR6KHOYH\-DPDDO/DVFHOOHV one beat ten Michail Antonios? and Allan Saint-Maximin splitting opin- $ELOLW\DQGYHUVDWLOLW\DUHFOHDUO\YHU\ ion. LPSRUWDQW%XWZHQHHGWRGLJDOLWWOH And some were impassioned pleas. deeper into what we’re looking for in a “Stay away from Zaha, we’ll lose 8-2 SOD\HU:KDWVSHFL²FDWWULEXWHVJLYHD HYHU\JDPHªP\'DG¬VPDWH0LNH player the platform from which to excel implored. “Go with Kouyate, he’ll keep in multiple positions? Let’s take a look XVXSª at some of football’s multi-talented (YHQWXDOO\WKHVHRSLQLRQVSURYHGMXVW maestros. one thing - that they were opinions. Stu Manuel Pellegrini described Milner as GHVHUYHVEHWWHUWKDQWKLV D«FRPSOHWH¬IRRWEDOOHUEXWVSHFL²FDOO\ And so, we turn to science. Opta, praised his aggression, mentality, and :KR6FRUHGDQG6TXDZNDSURYLGH work-rate, attributes we’d consider men- excellent analysis, but the data itself was

22 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 !!!!KING!OF!CLONES !!!!!!!!!!!!!EACH!PREMIER!LEAGUE!TEAM!FILLED!ALL!THE!OUTFIELD!POSITIONS

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 23 FOOTBALL EXPERIMENT

Close to glory: Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne and too hard to interpret against our criteria. Liverpoo’s Sadio Mane, and, The best database for players’ ability below, busy goalkeeper across the many different attributes that Lukasz Fabianski make them good at football is, in fact, EA Sports’ FIFA. FIFA grades each player out of 100 in 29 different attributes. There are also other things that affect a player’s ability, such as technical specialities, and physicality, but these are proportionally UH³HFWHGLQVRPHRIWKHDOUHDG\JUDGHG attributes, so as long as these are con- sidered we cover most bases. If we are to just take into account the average of all of their attributes (not to be confused with their overall rating), then at the time of writing Bruno and De Bruyne are the best players in the league by quite a way. Bruno is helped dramatically by his penalty-taking, free-kick accuracy and the curve on his shots. In fact, eight of the 29 attributes are about different types of shooting, which skews the results somewhat. We need to pick the most important attributes and grade the players on WKRVHVSHFL²FDOO\ So, back to our criteria. We need strong, mobile, quick, technical players and passing categories. ‘Ball Control’ ap- a better ‘Penalties’ rating than Sergio who can score goals and defend. SHDUVWREHDEHWWHUUH³HFWLRQRIRYHUDOO Aguero, but won’t be hunting the Ar- Fortunately, there is a grading for technical ability, so we’ll go with that. It’s gentinian down in the golden boot race ‘Strength’, so we’ll use that. Mobility impossible to prioritise one element of any time soon. and speed are graded in ‘Sprint Speed’, passing over another, so while crossing ‘Heading’ is also going in; we dis- ‘Acceleration’ and ‘Agility’. These are all might not be totally crucial, ‘Vision’, cussed earlier why this is important at proportionally similar for each player, so ‘Short Pass’, and ‘Long Pass’ will be both ends of the pitch. one of the three will be enough. Agility combined and averaged out to provide For ‘Defending’, we’ll take an average WHQGVWRUHZDUGPLG²HOGHUVDQGTXLFN us with our ‘Passing’ rating. across the three categories of ‘Marking’, pressers of the ball, an increasingly vital There are many ways to score a ‘Slide Tackle’ and ‘Standing Tackle’. Fi- part of the modern game (for exam- goal, which is why FIFA grade so many nally, going back to Pellegrini’s appraisal ple, N’Golo Kante scores 82 for agility different techniques, but ‘Finishing’ is an of Milner, to complete this footballer, but just 79 and 76 for acceleration and H[FHOOHQWUH³HFWLRQRIDSOD\HU¬VDELOLW\ we’ll be looking for ‘Aggression’. sprint speed). For this reason, we’ll pick to hit the back of the net. Jorginho has We’d fancy a team of Jamie Vardys to ‘Agility’. beat a team of Dimitar Berbatovs every Technical ability is scored in ’Ball day of the week. Control’, ‘Dribbling’, So there we have it, our ‘Short Pass’, ‘Long criteria. Taking the scores Pass’, ‘Vision’ and from ‘Strength’, ‘Agility’, ‘Crossing’. This can ‘Ball Control’, ‘Passing’, ‘Fin- be split into two, ishing’, ‘Heading’, ‘Defend- control and pass- ing’ and ‘Aggression’, we’ll ing. Dribbling is a EHDEOHWR²QGHDFKWHDP¬V fairly specialist skill, ideal clone and, eventually, and while players our Clone Premier League like Wilfried Zaha, champion. I’ve made a nifty Saint-Maximin and little Venn diagram, left, to Adama Traore excel showcase the usefulness of in this, they are these points: proportionally let down in the control

24 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 Contenders: Everton’s Allan and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes

So, starting with the Premier League If we bring back the rest of the cate- Ivanovic over Matheus Pereira, and Ross champions, let’s see where we are. gories, but weight the scoring towards Barkley over Jack Grealish. A few teams Here’s a look at their top three players RXUFULWHULDRIHLJKW DWDIDFWRURI  required almost their entire squad to be based on the data: we have a more balanced view on a analysed, and coming out on top were player’s total ability, while applying fo- Allan, Kante, Shelvey, Adam Lallana and, LIVERPOOL STATS cus to the key aspects that make them ²QDOO\&KHLNKRX.RX\DWH WKHUH\RXDUH versatile and capable all over the pitch. Mike). Salah begins with the best average This gives a clearer win to Mane, with We’ve got a nice spread of positions across all attributes, marginally above a gap to Van Djik, and another one to represented, with four strikers, four at- Mane and well above Van Dijk. Salah. I’ve offered this back to Liverpool WDFNLQJPLG²HOGHUV²YHFHQWUHPLG²HOG- But once we assess our eight criteria, fans who resoundingly agreed before HUVWKUHHGHIHQVLYHPLG²HOGHUVWKUHH Mane and Van Dijk far exceed Salah, bleating on about Firmino and Saturday centre-backs and one solitary winger in who is let down by his defensive work, lunch times. Mane. aggression and, particularly, heading. This was an enjoyable, but thoroughly So, there we have it. Our 20 nominees This feels right. I’d probably fancy myself time-consuming process. The clear- are selected. I suppose the sad thing is against a back four of Salahs. est winners from their clubs were De that the next part of the question – “who Van Dijk is pushing Mane close when Bruyne, Kane, Bruno, Vardy, Raul Jimin- wins this hypothetical clone-based Pre- taking in our eight criteria, but the more H].DOYLQ3KLOOLSV5XEHQ/RIWXV&KHHN mier League?”, will be answered as soon we dismiss the unconsidered criteria, the and Sander Berge. as I click ‘sort highest to lowest’. That more important they feel. There were tight wins, Antonio over doesn’t feel very fun. The beauty of this VVD scores plenty of goals but Declan Rice, James Ward-Prowse over wonderful sport is its unpredictability, its almost exclusively from set-pieces. He’s Danny Ings, and James Tarkowski over drama, the fact that it is so very unlike a great for a defender with the ball at his Ashley Westwood. And there were spreadsheet. feet but is he ever going to play through some nice surprises, David Luiz over Don’t worry, I’ll push the button. But a team, or dribble around them? Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Branislav not yet. First, we enjoy ourselves. Grab

LIVERPOOL STATS

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 25 FOOTBALL EXPERIMENT

a cup of tea. Put your feet up. You now Mane a problem. Midway through the only the complete striker, but possibly live in a world where there are ten Sand- second half Mane crosses from deep the most complete player in the Premier er Berges. Relax. and Mane sneaks between the two League. ,W¬V6DWXUGD\$XJXVW7KHVXQLV centre-backs for a simple toe-poke past Sorry Pellegrini, but Milner might shining. You’re on your way to the pub the keeper. have to pass on his crown. WRZDWFKWKHNLFNRII,W¬VWKHRSHQ- 7KHJDPH²QLVKHVDQG0DQHHV- :KDWRIWKHRWKHUFRQWHQGHUV"'H er of the Clone Premier League, and it’s tablishes himself as a real contender this Bruyne’s average rating is the best in live. season. Barkley played pretty football, the league, and he narrowly misses out :H¬YHEHHQEOHVVHGZLWKDPRGHUQ but there will be concerns about both to Kane, possibly based on his heading day classic to kick off the season - Sadio ends of the pitch. alone. Mane vs Ross Barkley at a packed An- The rest of the weekend’s scores Kane should be able to compete with ²HOG7KHKRPHPDQDJHU6DGLR0DQH follow: De Bruyne 5 Ivanovic 1; Lof- the long ball we expect from Tarkowski, gives an interview complaining about WXV&KHHN$OODQ$QWRQLR:DUG Berge, Ivanovic etc, but KDB could lose WKHNLFNRII+HVD\VWKH 3URZVH.RX\DWH-LPLQH] some points here. Sadio Manes inside the stadium agree. 7DUNRZVNL/DOODQD9DUG\3KLOOLSV Mane is also expectedly in the top 7KH79FUHZRIDGR]HQ-DNH+XP- 6KHOYH\.DQH%HUJH%UXQR/XL] four, but a surprise comes in Everton’s phries nod awkwardly and the inter- .DQWH Allan, who is the only player with just YLHZHU-DNH+XPSKULHVOLQNVEDFNWR Ah, don’t you just wish it could be one statistic below a 75 rating. -DNH+XPSKULHVLQWKHVWXGLR7KHIRXU true. Modern day football isn’t condu- Bruno and Kante complete the Eu- RI²FLDOVDUHDOO0LNH'HDQDQGDUHVWRRG cive to differing team identities. If a for- ropean spots, and we aren’t surprised in a circle complimenting each other. mation or tactic is effective, most teams HLWKHUWRVHH$QWRQLR-LPLQH]DQG9DUG\ /XNDV])DELDQVNLKXJV/XNDV])DELDQVNL will tend to use it. just below them. in the tunnel. The Ross Barkleys are all But not in the Clone Premier League. /XL]LVSHUKDSVDVXUSULVH²Q- chewing gum in unison. Football is back. Imagine a room full of De Bruynes trying ish in the top half, but Arsenal fans The game kicks off and immediate- WR²JXUHRXWKRZWRJHWWKHEDOOWKURXJK should be thankful. If we’d stuck with ly the Ross Barkleys try to get hold of .DQWH,PDJLQH²VWLFXIIVEHWZHHQ9DUG\ Aubameyang, he’d have been relegated. WKHEDOO3OD\LQJLWFRQ²GHQWO\DURXQG and Shelvey. Imagine playing away at $QGZKDWRIWKHZHLJKWLQJV\VWHP" the back four and through the mid- -DPHV7DUNRZVNLRQDUDLQ\7XHVGD\ It seemed a fair and accurate way of ²HOG+RZHYHUGHVSLWHORQJGLVSOD\VRI night. assessing both general ability and versa- possession, the harassment from Sadio Right then, Let’s do this: tility, but some players may be upset to Mane is unending, and eventually CB see its impact. Ross Barkley is dispossessed by Mane, FULL CHART $QWRQLRZDVORRNLQJDWDWRSIRXU²Q- who confronts the keeper and squares ish based on our top eight criteria alone, the ball to one of three onrushing Manes So there we have it. Harry Kane. Clone while Bruno is the best in the league to tap into an open goal. Premier League champion. Congratula- based on the stats outside our criteria. The game continues in this manner WLRQV+DUU\:HOOGRQH %XW\RXNQRZZKDW"1RWHYHU\RQH and despite a couple long shots from But there is, of course, so much more can win. Only one can. And that man, Ross Barkley, they simply cannot ad- to discuss than the simple (and now sci- RUPHQLV+DUU\.DQH RU.DQHV 7KHUH vance far enough up the pitch to cause HQWL²FDOO\SURYHQ IDFWWKDW+DUU\LVQRW you are, Stu.

FULL CHART

26 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 MAKING A STATEMENT PLAYER POWER THOMAS!BLOW!SALUTES!THE!FOOTBALLERS TRYING!TO!MAKE!A!DIFFERENCE...

Doing his bit: Huddersfield’s Juninho Bacuna takes a knee

HEN the Premier League and EFL have distanced themselves from the booing. The Conservatives’ inability resumed in June with the movement by creating their own cam- to tackle anything serious within society players taking the knee, paigns. Their excuse is unconvincing, not is obvious. And this is also endemic in the English football changed to mention pathetic. Labour party. In October an Equality and Wforever. This follows the abhorrent “White Lives Human Rights Commission report into Their stance against racism, particular- 0DWWHU%XUQOH\ªEDQQHUZKLFKZDV³RZQ anti-semitism found Labour responsible ly the abuse many players consistently over a Premier League match at the for harassment and discrimination. Their UHFHLYHKHOSHGWKRXVDQGV²QDOO\DF- Etihad Stadium. And the aforementioned passive attitude places little urgency on knowledge the injustice. And now, as fans is just the tip of the iceberg - you would the public to take a stance. begin to appear from Covid’s shadow, the need several manuscripts to comprehen- %XWDVIRRWEDOOLVDUH³HFWLRQRI%ULWLVK importance of the gesture has never been sively document racism in British football. society due to its vast popularity and in- greater. These incidents, becoming more com- ³XHQFHWKHJDPHKDVDFKDQFHWRPDNHD Attitudes among fans need to change. mon by the minute, are supported by the difference. Players recognise this, commit- Virtually from its inception, Black, Asian statistics. In their 2019-20 summary, Kick ting to taking the knee for the foreseeable and Minority Ethnic (BAME) footballers It Out reported a 53 per cent increase future. have been abused on social media. These in racial abuse in the professional game. “Players overwhelmingly support con- hate crimes are, on occasion, punished, They also found there to be an 11 per cent tinuing this act of solidarity despite any but the fact they are still happening more increase in the grassroots game. For the adverse responses that may be received,” than a decade on suggests they are treat- eighth consecutive year, these statistics said the PFA in a statement. ed leniently by the likes of Twitter and have increased. And as fans hopefully begin to re-enter Instagram, as well as the authorities. Change can only come from within, stadiums in the coming months, with the And in recent months, we have heard however. British football cannot rely on Euros just on the horizon, there has never returning fans at Colchester, Cambridge politicians to lead the way - despite it been a more important time to take a and, most prominently, Millwall booing the being the national sport. VWDQFHRIGH²DQFHDJDLQVWWKHERRV taking of the knee. Although he admitted the booing at Over the next 12 months, players will Some of these claim they are doing so Millwall was wrong, government minister have the opportunity to show the thou- to protest against Black Lives Matter’s James Cleverly said he would be “a bit sands surrounding them there is no room alleged association with Marxist politics, uncomfortable” with action, while his col- for racism. It is an opportunity they must ignoring the fact both the Premier League league George Eustice failed to condemn continue to take.

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 27 BIRMINGHAM CITY BLUES’!GLORY!!!

T’S hard to believe that at the end of February it will be the tenth anniver- sary of Birmingham City winning the /HDJXH&XS²QDODJDLQVW$UVHQDODW IWembley. ,WZDVRXU²UVWPDMRUWURSK\YLFWRU\ VLQFHDPHUH\HDUV 3UHPDWFKQRWPDQ\JDYHXVD SUD\HU7KHERRNLHVZKRWHQGWRNQRZD WKLQJRUWZRKDGWKH*XQQHUVDVRGGV RQIDYRXULWHVDQGDZLQIRUWKH%OXHV ZDVSULFHGDW 0\H[FLWHPHQWJUHZDIHZGD\V EHIRUHWKHJDPHZKHQ,²QDOO\KHOGLQ P\KDQGVP\WLFNHWIRUWKH&DUOLQJ&XS ²QDODW:HPEOH\(QWUDQFH.6HFWLRQ 5RZ6HDW2QWKHKDOIZD\OLQH QH[WWRWKH$UVHQDOIDQVDQGDEDUJDLQ DW  7KHPRUQLQJRIWKHPDWFKDUULYHG and I wore not only my home shirt (with ORQJVOHHYHV EXWP\VFDUIIURPWKH Millennium Stadium Worthington Cup ²QDOLQ Party time: The $V,MRLQHGWKHTXHXHIRU3ODWIRUP Blues savour their 2QHDW6ROLKXOO6WDWLRQIRUWKHWUDLQ dramatic victory ,VDZ0DOFROP3DJHDQG$ODQ&DPSEHOO against Arsenal H[SOD\HUV LQDPRQJVWWKHH[FLWHG %OXHQRVHVDVWKHUDLQFDPHGRZQ 8SRQDUULYDOLWZDVLQWRWKH,ELV+RWHO IRUVKHOWHUDQGDGULQNEXWLWVWUXFNPH ham generated a huge response from in the penalty area only to be ruled that many of the Brummies outside in the West end of the stadium that was RIIVLGHZKLFKZDVODWHUSURYHGWREH the rain were unlikely to see the end ZHOOSRSXODWHGDQKRXUEHIRUHWKHNLFN DQHUURQHRXVGHFLVLRQ,IRQO\ZH¬GKDG of the game in anything other than a off. 9$5 GUXQNHQVWXSRU:HOOWKHFRPSHWLWLRQ 7KHWHDPZDVDQQRXQFHGDQG$OH[ But the Blues did make the break- ZDVVSRQVRUHGE\DPDMRUODJHUEUDQG 0F/HLVK¬VJDPHSODQZDVUHYHDOHG WKURXJKLQWKHWKPLQXWH6HE/DUV- $V,PDGHP\ZD\WRZDUGVWKHVWD- D²YHPDQPLG²HOGZLWK1LNROD=LJLF VRQ¬VFRUQHUZDVPHWE\5RJHU-RKQVRQ GLXPIURPWKHKRWHOWKHEXUQLQJRIDQ upfront alone. DQGDQG=LJLFRXWMXPSHGWKH$UVHQDO=LJLFRX $UVHQDOVFDUIKDGEURXJKWWKHXQZHO- Birmingham played like everyery GHIHQGHUVWRGH³HFWWKHEDOOGHIHQG FRPHDWWHQWLRQRIWKHSROLFH Bluenose hoped they would – into thet net – Blues were $IWHU²VK«Q¬FKLSV:HPEOH\VW\OH ZLWKHQHUJ\FRPPLWPHQWDQGG ZLQQLQJZLQ (how do they manage to take out the a dogged belief that today Us Bluenoses felt it QDWXUDOWDVWHRIWKH²VK«Q¬FKLSVDQG FRXOGEHWKHLUGD\WREH wasw inevitable that the seemingly transfer the nutritional value DZDUGHGWKHWLWOHRI«0RGHUQ *XQQHUVZRXOGHTXDOLVH* WRWKHSDFNDJLQJ" ,VHWWOHGGRZQWR 'D\+HURHV¬ DQGVXUHHQRXJK5RELQDQ ZDWFKWKHSUHPDWFKDFWLYLWLHV 7KHJDPH«NLFNHGRII¬ Leader: vanva Persie volleyed $SDVVLRQDWHYLGHRDERXW%LUPLQJ- when Lee Bowyer was fouled Alex McLeish homehom six minutes before

28 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 BIRMINGHAM!CITY!FANATIC KEITH!DIXON!RECALLS!WHEN HIS!BELOVED!BLUES!STUNNED ARSENAL!IN!THE!LEAGUE !!!!DAY CUP!FINAL...

Oh yes! Sub Obafemi Martins celebrates his late winner

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? League Name Cup Apps Last known whereabouts BEN FOSTER 5 Watford FC STEPHEN CARR 5 Bar in Marbella ROGER JOHNSON 6 Bromley – U23s Manager MARTIN JIRANEK 3 FK Olympia Prague in 2018 LIAM RIDGEWELL 5 Recently joined the coaching staff at Dover SEB LARSSON 4 AIK since 2020 BARRY FERGUSON 4 Manager Kelty Hearts since 2018 CRAIG GARDNER 4 On Birmingham’s coaching staff LEE BOWYER 4 Manager Charlton Athletic since 2018 KEITH FAHEY 5 Retired in November 2017 NIKOLA ZIGIC 3 In Valencia working as an agent JEAN BEAUSEJOUR (Sub) 1 Playing in Chile for Universidad de Chile OBAFEMI MARTINS (Sub) 1 Wuhan Zall in 2020 CAMERON JEROME (Sub) 2 Playing for MK Dons

the break. Although Arsenal increased been programmed for defeat and dis- team selections, which can be evidenced the pressure in the second half, an appointment. As full-time approached by looking at the teams that got us to inspired Ben Foster proved his ‘England I was saying to myself ‘Well, at least we Wembley. He was never sure of his best Number One’ claim with a succession of haven’t been humiliated’ and ‘It will be eleven and in the end that lack of deci- saves and stops. At the other end, Keith like 2001, a meaningless extra-time peri- siveness proved a disaster, but at least Fahey hit the woodwork as Birmingham od and defeat in the penalty shoot-out’ he did give us a great day out in London! looked for a winner. so when the winner went in, I couldn’t The Wembley run consisted of seven Then, with 89 minutes on the clock, believe it! matches and we used 24 different play- the unbelievable happened. A mix-up After all those years of disappoint- ers in the starting line-ups. The eventual between Laurent Koscielny and Wo- ment, the Blues had won something match-winner only played from the 83rd jciech Szczesny (Good Old Cockneys?) – the League Cup – and no one could PLQXWHLQWKH²QDO resulted in the ball dropping at the feet deny that they deserved it! 2QHRWKHUPHPRU\RIWKH²QDOZDV of sub Obafemi Martins and Blues were My excitement was later quelled when striker Cameron Jerome came on XS:KHQWKH²QDOZKLVWOHEOHZ when we were relegated on the last day as a substitute at 90+2 minutes only to minutes later, I felt stunned! There is no of the season by losing at Tottenham, so be booked two minutes later for ‘time other way to describe it. North London got its revenge. wasting’! It was certainly about time the For all my time as a Bluenose I had Part of the problem was McLeish’s Blues won something.

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 29 VINTAGE DISPLAY ANDY!CARROLL!ON!!!!! MICHAEL!LEE!RECALLS!WHEN!AN!INJURY-PRONE!OLD-FASHIONED!STRIKER!GAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

COMMON trope in British sitcoms is the evocation of XQIXO²OOHGSRWHQWLDO:KHWKHU it’s Kurtan Mucklowe longing toA leave his village but not possessing the wherewithal in This Country, Dawn Tinsey’s desire to become an illustrator but settling into becoming David Brent’s UHFHSWLRQLVWLQ7KH2I²FHRUWKHXQGHU- lying sadness in the lives of Mark and Jez in Peep Show, comedy writers make their characters relatable by hinting at their innermost frustrations. After all, the workplaces of this coun- try are littered with people who felt they could have been more. Nobody dreams of working in a call centre. Footballers are not immune from this description. Upon his release by West Ham in 2019, scores of articles lamented WKHXQIXO²OOHGSRWHQWLDORI$QG\&DUUROO Portrayed as an analog player in a digital age, Carroll was the ultimate example of a striker who was unplayable on his day. Possessing unrivalled heading ability and the energy of a one-man mosh pit, defending against Carroll must have felt as futile as attempting to stop lava pouring out of a volcano. Happily for defenders these occa- sions were as infrequent as they were brilliant. For most of his time at the club, Big Andy could be found on the treat- ment table and was unable to string ‘angry buffalo being hurled off a hotel of a football match’, Carroll’s exhilarating together a full season of appearances. balcony’. exploits were enough to kickstart ral- If he were a racehorse, Brian Clough Although unfashionable to admit, lying cries for his inclusion in England’s would have had him shot. this was an arresting sight and one that Euro 2016 squad. During an era where elite football proved thrilling football was not the sole It was one of the last great Upton became obsessed with possession stats preserve of Pep Guardiola. Park moments and effectively ended and every club began to demand beau- This was no more evident than during Arsenal’s title challenge. tifully constructed football, there was one afternoon in April 2016. On his However, the afternoon did not start something intangibly raw and elemental ²UVWOHDJXHVWDUWLQDOPRVW²YHPRQWKV promisingly. In need of points to boost about watching Carroll play. Carroll scored a nine-minute hat-trick their unexpected push for the Champi- When on form, this was a player you against Arsenal and his overall perfor- ons League, West Ham were unlucky to simply could not take your eyes off – in mance was reported as ‘demented’ by ²QGWKHPVHOYHVEHKLQGWRVWULNHVIURP the words of The Guardian’s Barney the BBC. Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez as half- Ronay, watching him attack a cross into In the midst of an occasion described time approached. the penalty area was like witnessing an by Danny Baker as a ‘super inept farce Despite this, there were signs some-

30 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 !!!!!THE!RAMPAGE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!THE!ARSENAL!DEFENCE!A!MAULING...

On fire: West Ham’s JRDONHHSHU'DYLG2VSLQDORRNHGJHQ- Andy Carroll wheels XLQHO\DODUPHGDVKHIHOOSRZHUOHVVO\WR away after scoring WKH³RRU*DPHRQ his second and, 5HOLHIZRXOGWXUQWRHXSKRULDVHFRQGV Inset, attempts an ODWHU$IWHU$UVHQDOKDGRQO\SDUWLDOO\ overhead kick FOHDUHGRQHGHOLYHU\WKHEDOOIRXQGLWV ZD\EDFNWR&DUUROOLQWKHSHQDOW\DUHD $IWHUFRQWUROOLQJZLWKKLVFKHVWDQG PLVKLWWLQJDULJKWIRRWHGVKRWWKHVWULNHU contorted his whole body to bludgeon KRPHDOHIWIRRWHGYROOH\ 7KHLQWURGXFWLRQRIXQRUWKRGR[DFUR- EDWLFVLQWR&DUUROO¬VUHSHUWRLUHSURGXFHG DGRXEOHWDNHUHVHUYHGIRUGLVFRYHULQJD 3DJHFOLSSLQJLQWKH%LEOH)LWWLQJO\WKH UHSOD\VKRZHGWKHVWULNHZDVODUJHO\RII KLVVKLQEXWWKDWGLGQRWGHWUDFWIURPWKH HODWLRQRIWKHPRPHQW ,W,WZRXOGKDYHEHHQQRVXUSULVHLIWKHZRXOGK VWVWDUWRIWKHVHFRQGKDOIUHSUH- VHVHQWHGDOXOODIWHUWKHLQWR[L- Ouch: FDFDWLQJ²UVWPLQXWHV+RZ- Arsenal’s HYHYHUWKHPHVVDJHKDGFOHDUO\ Laurent nonot got through to both sets Koscielny RIRISOD\HUVWKHFRPPRWLRQRI reacts to a &&DUUROO¬VSUHVHQFHDFWLQJDVDD challenge from FDFDWDO\VWIRUWKHJDPH¬VWHPSR Carroll $OUHDG\RQD\HOORZFDUGD VWVWUD\DUPLQWKHIDFHRI*DEULHOU FRFRXOGKDYHVHHQWKH:HVW+DP VWVWULNHUVHQWRII0LQXWHVODWHUU DDQLPSURPSWXZUHVWOLQJPDWFKQ ZLZLWK.RVFLHOQ\VHQWERWKSOD\- WKLQJZDVVWLUULQJZLWKLQ&DUUROO)LUHGXS HHUVWXPEOLQJWRWKH³RRUDORQJUV IURPKLVSUHPDWFKPHDORIUDZVWHDN ZLZLWK2VSLQD'LPLWUL3D\HW¬VW WKH*HRUGLHUHFHLYHGDERRNLQJZLWKLQ UHVUHVXOWLQJWDSLQZDVFRUUHFWO\ IRXUPLQXWHVIRUDZLOGKDFNRQ/DXUHQW Bellerin, the goal was disallowed for disallowed. Koscielny. offside. Early indications were that Car- ,WVHHPHGDVLI&DUUROOZDVFKDQQHO- Soon after, he was at the centre of UROOZRXOGLQ³LFWFKDRVXSRQWKH$UVHQDO OLQJWKHHQHUJ\RIDSROLFHKRUVHZKR WKHJDPH¬V²UVWFRQWURYHUVLDOPRPHQW backline. has had a cigarette stubbed out on its $QRQFKDODQW³LFNHGFURVVIURP0DUN 7KHVHVXVSLFLRQVSURYHGFRUUHFWPLQ- behind. 1REOHZDVPHWZLWKDVSHFWDFXODURYHU- XWHVEHIRUHKDOIWLPHZLWKDJRDOWKDW 7KHDWPRVSKHUHRIEHGODPUHDFKHG KHDGNLFNFRPSDUDEOHZLWKDWDEOHIRRW- ZDVEHDXWLIXOLQLWVVLPSOLFLW\$PDJQL²- LWVFUHVFHQGRLQWKHQGPLQXWH:LQJ- EDOOHUEHLQJVSXQYLROHQWO\RQLWVD[LV FHQWVZLUOLQJFURVVIURP$DURQ&UHVVZHOO HU0LFKDLO$QWRQLRVSHGSDVWRQHGH- 7KHEDOOZDVPLVKLWLQWRWKHJURXQG was watched by a static defence in the IHQGHUDQGVWRRGXSDZRQGHUIXOFURVV DQGXSRQERXQFLQJXSZDVKHDGHGLQ PDQQHURIDJURXSFROOHFWLYHO\REVHUY- IURPWKHE\OLQHWRZDUGVWKHEDFNSRVW E\0DQXHO/DQ]LQL$OWKRXJKWKH$UJHQ- LQJD²UHZRUNGLVSOD\DOORZLQJ&DUUROO /HDSLQJLPSHULRXVO\DERYH%HOOHULQDV WLQHZDVEHLQJSOD\HGRQVLGHE\+HFWRU WRWKXQGHUKRPHDKHDGHU7KH$UVHQDO LIHQJXO²QJKLP&DUUROOSRZHUHGDKHDG-

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 31 VINTAGE DISPLAY

er past the helpless Ospina to complete Have it: his hat-trick. The stadium erupted with Carroll goes full stretch to score joy and disbelief. his second goal With a nine-minute salvo, Carroll had transformed the game and set West +DPRQWKHLUZD\WRWKHLU²UVWKRPHZLQ against Arsenal since Arsene Wenger’s unforgettable spat with Alan Pardew. :LWKKLV²QJHU²UPO\RIIWKHSXOVH Howard Webb declared on BT Sport that Carroll should never have been on WKH²HOGDIWHUKLVHDUOLHUIRXOV $ODVKLVGH²QLQJSHUIRUPDQFHGLG not result in victory. Pushing desperately forward, Arsenal equalised 20 minutes from time through Koscielny and a riot- ous game ended 3-3. For those numbed by the incessant over-promotion of the Premier League, it must be acknowledged that occasion- DOO\WKHK\SHLVMXVWL²HGE\DPDWFKDV good as this was. A draw was of no real use to either team – Arsenal failed to win the league and West Ham missed out on Champi- RQV/HDJXHTXDOL²FDWLRQ The calls for Carroll to be taken to Euro 2016 also fell on deaf ears, al- though some wags suggested he would be better suited foror AintreeAintree.. The way Carroll’s potential inclusion was discussedcussed bought similaritieses to shipping out and cernedcerne he may RXWRIWRS³LJKWIRRWEDOO0LUURULQJ deploying a hugee becomebeco isolated big corporations in other industries, First World War anandd lonely, the elite football clubs wished to exercise Crunch: artillery gun, Carroll cclubl bought unprecedented levels of control over albeit a rusting reacts to a JJacka Wilshere events, to minimise risk and impose a one with large challenge from tto keep him JHQWUL²HGPHWKRGRIGRLQJWKLQJVWKDW spells out of Arsenal’s ccompany. favoured themselves. action. Gabriel During a Andy Carroll presented a throwback Unfortunate- Paulista rrare appear- to the very essence of sport that entices ly, Roy Hodgson aance in an people from around the globe - its un- resisted the aawayw match at predictable mayhem. temptation to BBurnleyur in 2017, For all the advances made in football include the targett CarCarrollr managed tactics and player conditioning, Carroll man in his squad. ttoo be sent off for epitomised a unique challenge to the While supressing snig-snig- two iidenticalden chal- modern defender and was occasionally gers as England sslippedlipped lenlengesges witwithinh a minute. impossible to defend against. Ronay to defeat against Iceland, it IncreIncredibly,dibly, AAntonio labelled him ‘the man with a head like a was impossible too shake the feeling Conte wanted to sign him for foot’. that bringing Andy off the bench may reigning champions Chelsea, prompt- Despite his frustrating injury record have given the Scandinavians some- ing frantic checks the Italian had not and obvious limitations, we should cel- thing tangible to worry about. EHHQUHSODFHGE\DP\VWHULRXV²JXUH ebrate Andy Carroll as part of football’s His West Ham career never matched called Sam Allardici. Disappointingly for rich diversity. the peak of that spring afternoon in East satirists everywhere, the move failed to 7KHVHQVHRIXQ²OOHGSRWHQWLDOLVRQO\ London. Despite a goal-of-the-season materialise. exacerbated by glimpses of what might contender the following year against For all the jokes at Carroll’s expense, have been. No glimpses were as tanta- Crystal Palace, Carroll soon resumed his his performance against Arsenal rep- lising as one afternoon against Arsenal habitation in the physio’s room. Con- resented all that was being airbrushed in 2016.

32 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 SEIZING YOUR CHANCES

Making an impact: Ben Wilmot celebrates scoring for Watford and, inset, playing BIG!BEN for Udinese CHIMES BILLY!MULLEY!TALKS!TO!WATFORD!DEFENDER BEN!WILMOT!ABOUT!HIS!RAPID!RISE!-!AND!HOW!IT WAS!AIDED!BY!A!SPELL!IN!ITALY

OT many 21-year-olds are able idea and they told me to speak to my to say they’ve already played in family about it, but I knew there and the Premier League, Champi- then that I wanted to go,” he explained. onship, League Two and Serie “I didn’t know if I would ever get NA – but Ben Wilmot can. the opportunity to do something like The Watford and England U21 cen- that again. The biggest reason why I tre-back has risen through the ranks at an wanted to go was to play against the exponential rate. Only six years ago, he best of the best, and I got my chance was playing for Hitchin Town Youth in the against the big boys. Royston Crow League and not even he ©,QWKH²YHJDPHVWKDW,SOD\HG, imagined such a leap. faced Juventus, Lazio, Inter Milan and “As a 14-year-old, my aim was to make AC Milan! If I was to pick the teams +LWFKLQ7RZQ¬V²UVWWHDPEHIRUHP\WK ZKR,ZDQWHGWRSOD\DJDLQVWWKH\GH²- ELUWKGD\ªKHVDLG©6RWREHDQ\HDUROG nitely would have been the top four.” and signing for a club like Watford after Wilmot spent four months with playing League Two football for Steve- the Italian club and felt the experience nage was amazing. accelerated his career and proved that “From the outside looking in, it looks KHFRXOGKDQGOHWKHULJRXUVRIWRS³LJKW like everything has just happened at once, European football. but, for me, everything has happened at “I came on so much and I became a lot the rate that I want it to. PRUHFRQ²GHQWLQVXFKDVKRUWVSDFHRI returning from a season-long “Football is such an in-the-moment time. I had to live on my own and learn a loan from Swansea. WKLQJWKDW,QHYHUUHDOO\VWRSWRUH³HFWRQ new language all whilst trying to perform The ability to deal with pres- my career so far, but I am happy with how at the highest level I could,” he said. VXUHDQGWREHFRQ²GHQWLQ\RXU quickly it has all progressed.” “In terms of a life experience, it has own ability is certainly something A football career is a short one and that been the best thing I have ever done. I Wilmot has displayed – and that was the line of thinking when Wilmot was would recommend it to anyone who Italian experienced has helped. presented with the opportunity to join gets the opportunity to gain experi- “They want you to have the mind Udinese on loan, six months after joining ence abroad.” of a 30-year-old, especially when you Watford. It was a chance that Wilmot, In the present, Wilmot has are playing as a centre-back. It is so then 19, was reluctant to pass up. slotted seamlessly into important to be beyond your age and to “The club thought it would be a great Watford’s back-line since consistently show that on the pitch.”

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 33 BUSINESS SENSE

EFORE the world of digital commercialisation and social media player proliferation, football was just one of a Bnumber of sports stuck in the marketing dark ages. Far from the heady days of a global reach and worldwide fanbase, the early 90s were times when few were begin- ning to clock onto the stratospheric marketing heights provided by the Premier League’s arrival in 1992. One of the clubs you’d be hard pressed not to know in many parts of the world today are Leicester City. However, they were about as far away IURPWRS³LJKWFKDPSLRQVDVHYHULQ ZKHQRQHRIIRRWEDOO¬V²UVWFKLHI executives arrived, Barrie Pierpoint. Languishing in the depths of Eng- land’s second tier, Pierpoint, also the FOXE¬V²UVWGLUHFWRURIPDUNHWLQJZRXOG help take the Foxes on a steady rise off WKH²HOG Here, he guides us through Leices- ter’s evolving marketing journey, one which laid the blueprint for many RIWKHRIIWKH²HOG principles that MARKETING guide club com- mercial success HOW!LEICESTER!CITY today. OUTFOXED!THEIR!RIVALS!OFF ALL THE GEAR THE!PITCH!TO!BOOST!THEIR AND NO IDEA Leicester City, PROSPECTS!ON!IT... a small, relega- MAGIC there was one simple el- tion-battling East ement missing that was staring us dead Midlands side, were keting plan to speak of at the club, he in the eye – interaction with the fans. in a dire position at the turn of January had little to work with but his brain, a “No one had bothered to consult 1991. passionate set of fans and some willing with them on the basic things like food Sitting just three places away from colleagues. And with imposing board and merchandise. They’d be the ones the relegation zone to Division Three objectives of building a new stand, consuming it, and I wanted to make sure and making a commercial turnover of raising attendances and attracting star that Leicester City’s offering stood for just £500,000, it was clear something players, Pierpoint set out with lofty ex- hallmarks of quality, reliability and pro- needed to be done to boost the club’s pectations to meet. fessionalism in the community.” bleak prospects. 3LHUSRLQWZDVLQ³XHQFHGE\WKH A business brain, as well as success THE ESTABLISHMENT big teams whose kits he saw adorned on the pitch, was needed so that Leices- OF FOXES LEISURE around Leicester’s streets, but when he ter could go from bankrupt to balling, “I wanted to be like a Marks & Spencer went to consult with the likes of Man- EXWZLWKWDWW\PHUFKDQGLVHD³LPV\ EUDQGªUHFDOOV3LHUSRLQWWKH³DPER\DQW chester United and Liverpool, he didn’t poorly produced kit and a hospitality FKDUDFWHUUHQRZQHGIRUKLV³DVK\VXLWV get much by way of a response. offering that you’d be scared to even big cigars and even bigger glasses in the “They just didn’t want to know,” feed to kids, Pierpoint would have his 90s. explained Pierpoint. “We were hoping work cut out. “We were cash-strapped and had no we’d be able to get a steer on their ap- With no brand strategy and no mar- idea of marketing when I arrived, but proach to marketing the kit, delivering a

34 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 the pitch, too. “Brian was a businessman himself,” added Pierpoint. “He knew that WKHSUR²WDELOLW\ZRXOGJRLQWRWKHSOD\- ers and, in turn, Leicester could really transform themselves from a club that sold its best players to survive to one WKDWUHWDLQHGNH\²JXUHVLQRUGHUWRSXVK for promotion.”

FAMILY NIGHT FOOTBALL With Foxes Leisure in place, Pierpoint’s next commercial revolution would be one that would change the landscape of reserve team football. Vision: In the season of 1993-94, with Leices- Barrie Pierpoint ter ascending the ranks and on the brink of play-off glory, Pierpoint, along with club marketer Richard Hughes, devised a way of ramping up the Foxes’ family offering. “Reserve games in the early 90s were weekday affairs,” he said. “The crowd consisted of a handful of fans who part- ed with their hard-earned cash to sit and enjoy a steaming hot cup of tea. Good times: “And Leicester City’s when you Steve Walsh looked at celebrates his the main winner against games, it Derby in the was all burly 1994 First On the up: The Foxes celebrate men shout- Division play- promotion to the Premier League ing from off final in 1994 after beating Derby the stands. Certainlytil not environments you wanted to bring hospitality experience and such like, but different types of leisurewear for the women and children along to.” they couldn’t be bothered with a pithy mums and dads to wear, and this is part- Drawing inspiration from Ameri- little Division Two side.” ly where Foxes Leisure was born, out of can sports, with their half-time shows, Undeterred, Pierpoint pushed on with need to wear your club colours to suit cartoon mascots and cheerleaders, his vision. First on his list was the kit, any occasion, even on the school run in Pierpoint and Hughes set out to adopt with which he sought a higher quality your tracksuit bottoms!” a much wider fanbase in a safe and fun production. This would be key to elevat- Of top importance for Pierpoint was environment. ing Leicester’s status, particularly from having the fans and then club manag- Crucial to this would be pricing their a commercial and communityygg engage- er Brian Little, left, on board. new reserve game venture, just £2 for ment standpoint. PlayersPla needed to feel com- adults and a ‘quid for kids’, a concept “If you can get people fofortabler wearing the kit and that would go on to become a widely to buy the kit, they’ll tend fafansn proud to wear it, too. known marketing tactic in football stadi- to invest in everything else And after many pains- ums across the country. too, such as stationary, takingtak hours of fan forums, Family Night Football (FNF), as it be- videos, books and more,” meetingsme and consulta- came known, reached its peak in 1994, said Pierpoint. tionstio with players and and by this time it was clear that Hughes “These kits were also fans,fa Foxes Leisure was and Pierpoint’s vision was a success. targeted at kids, and once born,bo a commercial entity When the might of Manchester United you had them on board you butbu one that would play reserves arrived in February of that year, could really expand out into a huge part in matters on LWDWWUDFWHGRYHUIDQVD²[WXUH

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 35

BUSINESS SENSE

Surprised: that a young ball boy for the match who Leicester’s would go on to big things, Emile Heskey, Emile Heskey would remember well. “I watched in disbelief as more and more fans entered the ground,” he recalled. “By the time the match kicked off, the ground looked as full as it usually ZDVIRU²UVWWHDPJDPHVª ,QQRYDWRUVLQRIIWKH²HOGLQYHQWLRQ Leicester’s concepts were beginning to get noticed. Laying the blueprint for change, Pierpoint and Hughes’ idea suc- cessfully elevated reserve team football to event status, one that increased sta- dium atmosphere, packed in more fans and, crucially, made it affordable for all. And as a bonus, Pierpoint and his cohorts were asked to run seminars for interested clubs looking to replicate the FNF concept, which, ironically, included those that had spurned his consultation advances just a few years before.

THE FOOTBALL-BUSINESS plains it wasn’t quite as clearcut. “You’d continue to become ever increasingly DICHOTOMY have players tripping over their lines, not interwoven. With concepts such as Foxes Leisure knowing what to say and generally very And with the dawn of the internet and Family Night Football so closely media untrained,” he explained. and, later, social media, the football interwoven with boosting the Leicester “So what we set out to do is build a marketing landscape would take a tech- brand both on and off the pitch, it’s this community engagement department. nologically driven course, with fans able evolving argument, on how much foot- One that would increase our standing to soak in the latest goings on via their balling business infringes on the playing with key local institutions such as the mobile screens and Instagram player side, that is a constant in the modern Leicester Mercury, the general hospital SUR²OHV day game. and educational authorities. But for Pierpoint, who left Leices- “Clubs are in a unique position,” ex- “We did things like teach struggling ter at the turn of the millennium, there plained Pierpoint. “Football is a business adults and kids how to read and write, is something to be said for the more RIFRXUVH§LWQHHGVWRPDNHDSUR²WOLNH and make visits to youngsters playing traditional tactics that helped shaped any other to survive but the fans don’t for their local teams down on the park. Leicester’s climb to the top. see it this way. “But we ensured it wasn’t a sham- “Ironically, I think there’s that distance “Therefore, you need to communicate bles by teaming up a shy player with an now, despite clubs being able to reach with them really carefully. It’s why I nev- outgoing one to ensure the engagement more and more people via social media,” er did anything like Foxes wawass a success. he added. “Of course, it’s great clubs Leisure or FNF without “Nowadays“ you’ve got can post out interactions to millions of consulting with the man- ththousandso of marketers, fans across the world, but it’s all very DJHURUIDQV²UVW PRPR people and relationship controlled, mediated and hands-off. “And of course, fans managersma going along with “There’s simply nothing that can DUH²FNOH,IHYHQWVDUHQ¬W celebrityce players to their replicate that physical player-to-fan going well on the pitch goodwillgo initiatives, it’s a very interaction. then your merchandising closelyclo monitored operation. “If more clubs can increase their ac- and commercial operation “Back then we had to tivity in these areas, looking at genuine plummets, so you really reallyre push and coach these grass-roots initiatives that make a real need to drive your stand- playersp on what to say and difference to youngsters’ lives, I feel ing in the community to do.d It was a learning curve, clubs will set themselves on a winning ensure this backs you up butb one that would become path to growing their followings both on when the tough times hit.” a blueprint for modern-day and off the pitch.” Nowadays, it’s not football.”f ● Leicester City’s rise to the Premier uncommon to see big As football evolved League, and their footballing and mar- football stars getting stuckk through the years y of Premiership com- keting journey, is chronicled in Barrie in with acts of good grace, whether it mercialisation, bringing with it billions Pierpoint’s new book, ‘Minding My Own be a hospital visit, food delivery for the of pounds worth of funding in TV rights Football Business’, available now at homeless or grass-roots engagement. and sponsorship opportunities, the https://www.mindingmyownfootball- However, back in the 90s, Pierpoint ex- threads of business and football would business.co.uk/

36 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 KEEPING IT CLEAN

Bright spark: Steve Churcher shows off the immaculate Lincoln United jerseys

CHURCHY!THE!KITMAN ROB!BRADLEY!EXPLAINS!WHY!LINCOLN!UNITED!WOULDN’T!BE!THE!SAME!WITHOUT!THEIR!POPULAR!STALWART

F YOU’RE keen to know the latest of all, he knows everything that’s going on minute, he collapsed when everyone goings on at a football club at any level at his football club. alighted back at the home car park. He’d then there’s really only one person you Churchy is 67 and has been at Ashby suffered a stroke involving two blood clots need to see. Avenue for 14 years. He was a keeper in on the brain and things were touch and IThe manager is the obvious choice but his younger days and had a couple of go. he’ll be reluctant to reveal which player is JDPHVIRU0DQV²HOG7RZQ After recuperation, he was back in a bad apple or what went on in the dress- His job involves much more than the action, and everyone at the club was ing room after that recent heavy defeat. upkeep of the home and away strips - delighted to hear those rat-a-tat swear If you can get to see the chairman that’s with training kits, tracksuits, training balls words booming out of the home dressing good, but he’ll probably display diplo- and everything else needing his close room door once more. macy rather than detail when it comes to attention. He’s not out the woods yet, though, and juicy gossip. Most of all, though, he takes great pride needs to be very careful, so winding him $YRLGWKHUHIRUHWKHPDQDJHU¬VRI²FH in United’s all-white strip being gleamingly up, usually an entertaining pastime, is off or the boardroom, and head straight for clean every time they step out onto the the agenda for the time being. the room with the washing machines and pitch. Every spring as the season draws to a tumble driers, because it’s the kitman you In early November, the Portsmouth close, Churchy tells everyone without fail should be having a natter with. squad trained at the Whites’ ground prior that it’s his last and he won’t be there next Steve Churcher, or ‘Churchy’, at North- WRWKHLU²[WXUHWKDWQLJKWZLWK)RRWEDOO time round. ern Premier League side Lincoln United League neighbours Lincoln City. Then, again without fail, he’s back in the is the archetypal kitman. He’s larger than The Pompey kitman was impressed ground that summer taking the mickey, life, won’t suffer fools gladly and always in- with Churchy’s kit-washing prowess but and abusing a player for whacking a tersperses each sentence with some very couldn’t extract his tricks of the trade training ball out of the ground and not colourful terminology. When it comes to when it comes to getting a whiter-than- fetching it. quick one-liners and put-downs to overly ZKLWH²QLVK He’s there for another new season cheeky players, Churchy is more of a In August 2019 after United won con- because he loves the job and, anyway, no- hitman than a kitman! YLQFLQJO\DW$)&0DQV²HOG&KXUFK\IHOOLOO one wants him to leave. When he does, Nonetheless, he’s also extremely good in the bus on the way home. and let’s hope it’s not for a long time yet, at his job and takes great pride in it. Most Feeling more and more queasy by the the place won’t be the same again.

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 37 A SUPPORTER’S TRIBUTE

VERY football club has their legends, players idolised by the fans. My club Coventry City have Ehad some great footballers over the THE!HUD!- decades, adored by supporters young and old. As I’ve been following the Sky Blues since the 60s, I have a few favourites. But my all-time hero, who sadly passed away in late December aged 83, was George Hudson, affectionately known simply as The Hud. SKY!BLUE As a young kid stood on the Spion .RSDW+LJK²HOG5RDG,DORQJZLWKDOO KEVIN!HALLS!EXPLAINS the other youngsters decked out in sky WHY!STRIKER!GEORGE blue and clicking our wooden rattles, would be behind the goal cheering on HUDSON!IS!HIS!ALL-TIME Jimmy Hill’s team. As we were a good side back then, LEGEND COVENTRY!CITY!HERO the atmosphere was usually electric and the ground was a sea of sky blue. Our star striker was Terry Bly, who SHDN&RYHQWU\²QLVKHGWKHFDPSDLJQLQ County, and on and on the goals came. was a crowd favourite because of his a respectable fourth position in Division In a match versus Shrewsbury Town, many goals, but, to everybody’s amaze- Three. he delivered a double in an impressive ment, Hill decided to replace him with a But it was the following season that 8-1 victory, and followed it up a few centre- forward who played for Peter- Hudson showed the fans what he was weeks later against QPR with a stunning borough United called George Hudson. made of and why the manager brought KDWWULFNLQDPDJQL²FHQWDZD\ZLQ He cost Coventry a then club record him in, as he banged in goals galore. At last the Coventry City supporters of £21,000 in 1963 but the supporters In the opening game, he netted in had to agree that the manager knew were not happy at this and the manager a 5-1 win over Crystal Palace and he what he was doing and so The Hud was was called all sorts of names, many not followed it up with a brace against Notts QRZD²UPIDYRXULWHRQWKHWHUUDFHVDW printable in this article! +LJK²HOG5RDG+ But Hill took it all on the chin, pardon My scrapbooks were full of his pic- the pun, and stuck Hudson straight in his THE HUD turest and when I was playing football team for his debut against Halifax Town Jimmy Hill bought George Hudson forf my school teams, or playing over the on April 6 of that year. to replace the legend Terry Bly, ORFDO²HOGVZLWKP\PDWHV,RIWHQSUHO - I was there at that match with my this outraged the City fans tendedt I was George Hudson. He was dad, who was a big Bly fan and angry and they demanded to know why? mym number one football star. at his star player being dropped, but But ‘The Hud’ scored a hat-trick Us kids found out where he was living decided to carry on supporting the City against Halifax on his debut, ini Coventry as the club housed several even though many had stayed away in and he went on to be a favourite playersp in an area not too far from where disgust. to all the supporters in sky blue. wew were all from, so off we went armed But me being young, I wasn’t too I stood with my dad on the Spion withw our autograph books in the hope concerned - I was just happy being at Kop wew may see a player or two. watched George get on the score the ground with my mates. And what a On one occasion a group of us stood sheet, thrilling match it was - it ended up 5-4 he’d score goals with his head outsideo George’s house and, to our de- to the Sky Blues with Hudson netting and smash them in with his feet. lightl and amazement, he came out to us. DGHEXWKDWWULFN,OHIW+LJK²HOG5RDG Us kids with our wooden rattles He not only signed our books, he also with a new hero, namely George Hud- down the front at a game, gaveg us a glass of pop each. I think we son. when Hudson got the ball we’d DOO³RDWHGEDFNKRPHVWLOOLQVKRFNDQGD Even with The Hud banging in three cheer awea at meeting our idol! goals, it still didn’t appease the fans - and loudly call out his name. That season George scored 28 goals many thought Hill had lost his marbles in He should have played at a higher LQDSSHDUDQFHVDQGLQWKH²QDOJDPHL not playing Bly. level ofo the campaign he netted the winner But the manager stuck to his guns because he was really that good, againsta Colchester in a 1-0 victory that and saw something in the swarthy cen- so who’s my favourite ever player? clinchedc the title in front of a crowd of tre- forward who, at aged 26, was at his that’s got to be The Hud! 36,000.3

38 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 Master marksman: The Hud was now a Coventry legend George Hudson won and even my dad, who was a huge Bly over the Coventry fan, said he was the best centre-forward fans with his goals he had seen wear our club colours. Still the goals kept on coming and WKH²UVWVHDVRQLQ'LYLVLRQ7ZRVDZXV ²QLVKLQDUHVSHFWDEOHWHQWKSODFHZLWK Hudson bagging 24 goals. He was only 5ft 8ins tall but was strong and could handle himself on the pitch. He took no-nonsense from big burly centre-halves - back then every team had a big tough defender who liked to rough up attackers. $WDQDZD\PDWFKDW+XGGHUV²HOG a big 6ft 1ins defender called Codding- ton must have upset The Hud because KHGHOLYHUHGDSXQFKWKDW³RRUHGWKH Terriers player, who was left prone on the pitch. Being able to look after yourself was one thing, but Hudson was a very technical and gifted footballer. He could score wonderful goals with his head and IHHW²QGLQJWKHQHWZLWKVLPSOHWDSLQV delightful chips, volleys and bullet head- ers. He could also get past his marker with a touch of speed, leaving the de- fender scratching his head in disbelief. So is it any wonder he was the King RI+LJK²HOG5RDG" In one game against Southampton with his back to Tony Knapp, the Saints FHQWUHKDOIKHVRPHKRZ³LFNHGWKHEDOO over him and swivelled to plant it into the net past a shocked keeper. That goal has gone down as one of the best by a Coventry City player and is still talked about today by those for- tunate to have witnessed it. Think that goal by Frank Worthington for Bolton which gets shown a lot as a wonder goal - Hudson’s was just as good. But just as he did with Bly, Hill did the same with George. Out of the blue, he decided quite ruthlessly to sell him to Northampton Town. This angered fans so much that many even went to watch Hudson play for the &REEOHUVLQVWHDGRIJRLQJWR+LJK²HOG 5RDGKHZDVKHOGLQVXFKKLJKUHJDUG Between 1963 and 1966, George Hud- son scored 75 goals in 129 appearances. I had the privilege as a youngster to VHHKLV²UVWHYHUJDPHIRUP\FOXEDQG saw him score so many goals. Is it any wonder he became my favourite ever &LW\SOD\HU"

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 39 SUPPORTER ENGAGEMENT

CORE!VALUES ROB!BRADLEY!ON!THE!CRUCIAL!RELATIONSHIP!BETWEEN!A!CLUB!AND!THEIR!SUPPORTERS...

N EXPERIENCED pro at a club between support and core support. More hearing feedback are very important for might view a cocky young bums on seats when you’re winning is all parties. Making a fan feel a part of their player, new to the squad, with great, but making sure new fans don’t club is good socially - we all have a better some scepticism. drift away when you’re not is another time - and is good in business terms, too. AWhilst he’s been there and done it, matter altogether. More clubs are engaging with their sup- and got the scars to show for it, the Lots of clubs do a lot of work on fan porters because, as someone famously EUDVKRYHUO\FRQ²GHQWXSVWDUWPLJKWEH engagement. They try to make sure the said, ‘football is nothing without fans’. For thought of as someone who’ll be here to- emotional attachment that their support- a chairman or chief executive to think they day and gone tomorrow. Especially when ers have manifests itself into a long-term know better than the people in the stands the going gets tough. allegiance where success isn’t the only isn’t wise at all. The clubs who plough on And so it is in the unwritten hierarchy of attraction. regardless do so at their peril. fandom. We’ve all seen it. Your club has The best clubs recognise that fans are So it’s OK if your team has been ham- some success and suddenly attendances the moral owners of their club and are mered yet again and you’re walking out increase. You’ve been there through thick just as important as the literal ones, if not the ground cursing and fuming. If, howev- and thin, mostly the latter, and now, with more so. er, you know that when you calm down, the team winning, you’re surrounded by A lot of fan engagement involves your club cares about you and you’re a enthusiastic people with grins on their information sharing. Supporters are rep- vital part of it, you’ll feel better. faces and newly-bought scarves around resented within the club, fans are invited More especially, you’ll have become part their necks. to events to meet the manager and the of that very important ‘core support’ that From a football club’s perspective this board, and supporters’ groups including your club so urgently relies on, and the is a welcome phenomenon, but it’s one trusts are respected and listened to. more any club has of them, the more likely that needs to be captured, especially in How a club works, explaining why they’ll be able to bring back the good business terms. There’s a big difference things are done the way they’re done, and WLPHVIRUHYHU\RQH¬VEHQH²W

40 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 SHEFFIELD UNITED BLUNT!BLADES LUKE!BIRCH!EXAMINES!WHAT’S!GONE!WRONG!AT!SHEFFIELD!UNITED...

Pain game: IVE points from their opening 18 Sheffield United JDPHVWKLVVHDVRQVDZ6KHI²HOG have found life 8QLWHGVOHHSZDONWKHLUZD\LQWRD brutal in the top- nightmare. flight this season F2QHDOOGUDZVDJDLQVW)XOKDPDQG %ULJKWRQZHUHIROORZHGE\DKDUGIRXJKW KRPHZLQDJDLQVW1HZFDVWOHLQ PLG-DQXDU\$SDUWIURPWKDWLW¬VEHHQ GHIHDWDIWHUGHIHDWDIWHUGHIHDWIRUWKH JRDOVK\%ODGHV ,W¬VLQVWDUNFRQWUDVWWRWKH6KHI²HOG 8QLWHGVLGHZKRSURYHGDOOWKHGRXEWHUV ZURQJ²QLVKLQJQLQWKRQSRLQWVODVW WHUP7KHLUWHUUL²FFDPSDLJQ FDPHDIWHUWKH\ZHUHWLSSHGE\PDQ\WR ²QLVKERWWRPRIWKH3UHPLHU/HDJXH :KDWKDVFDXVHGVXFKDVOXPSLQIRUP" :HOOLWDSSHDUVWKHUHDUHDFRPELQDWLRQRI IDFWRUVDWSOD\ )RUVWDUWHUVLWORRNVDVLIWKHUH¬VDFDVH UHMRLQHGWKH%ODGHVIURP%RXUQHPRXWK RQ:LOGHU¬VXQLTXHLQYHQWLYHWDFWLFRI RIVHFRQGVHDVRQV\QGURPH IRU PKDYHFRQWLQXHGWKH\RXWKIXO RYHUODSSLQJFHQWUHEDFNV 7KHIUHVKQHVVRIWKDWQHZO\SURPRWHG WKHPH7KHODWWHURQO\EURNHLQWRWKH /DVWVHDVRQ-DFN2¬&RQQHOODQG&KULV WHDPZLWKPRPHQWXPDQGSRVVLEO\IHDU ²UVWWHDPDW%RXUQHPRXWKWKHSUHYLRXV %DVKDPZRXOGVXUJHXSWKH³DQNVIURP RQWKHLUVLGHKDVEHHQZDVKHGDZD\DQG VHDVRQ:LOGHUKDVWDNHQDJDPEOHLQ WKHLUUHVSHFWLYHFHQWUHEDFNSRVLWLRQV WKHSOD\HUVZKRUDLVHGWKHLUJDPHDWWKH IDYRXULQJ\RXWKRYHUH[SHULHQFHDQGWKXV FUHDWLQJRYHUORDGVRQWKHZLQJV EHJLQQLQJKDYHVWUXJJOHGWRVKRZWKH IDULWKDVIDLOHG 7KLVVHDVRQDNQHHLQMXU\WR2¬&RQQHOO VDPHFRQVLVWHQF\ 7KLVFRXSOHGZLWKWKHHQGRIJRDONHHS- PHDQV8QLWHGDUHOHVVSRWHQWLQDWWDFN 3OD\LQJZLWKRXWIDQVKDVEHHQDQRWKHU HU'HDQ+HQGHUVRQ¬VWLPHZLWKWKHFOXE 7KHUHDUHIHZHUXQH[SHFWHGUXQVFRPLQJ VHWEDFN7KH%UDPDOO/DQHFURZGJHQ- KDVSURYHGGHWULPHQWDOWR6KHI²HOG8QLW- IURPWKHEDFNPHDQLQJLWLVHDVLHUIRU HUDWHDJUHDWDWPRVSKHUHDQGJLYHWKH HG¬VUHVXOWV+HQGHUVRQVDYHGWKH%ODGHV WHDPVWRQXOOLI\RWKHUDWWDFNLQJWKUHDWVLQ SOD\HUVDQH[WUDGRVHRIDGUHQDOLQH7KH DURXQGVHYHQWRQLQHH[SHFWHGJRDOVODVW the team. %ODGHVKDYHPLVVHGVXSSRUWHUVPRUHWKDQ VHDVRQZKLFKZRXOGEHDKXJHORVVIRU 2SSRVLWLRQVLGHVKDYHVDWEDFNDQG most. DQ\VLGH VKXWRXWWKH%ODGHV¬DWWDFNVDOORZLQJ 7KHUHDUHDOVRFRQFHUQVDERXWWKH 7KHUH¬VDOVRWKHORVVRIWKDWXQNQRZQ WKHPYHU\OLWWOHVSDFHLQWKH²QDOWKLUG VTXDGDWPDQDJHU&KULV:LOGHU¬VHU&KULV:LOGHU¬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¬VXFFHVVLQERWK7KH%ODGHV¬V 7KHUHWXUQRI2¬&RQQHOOEHIRUHWKHHQG ODFNVLJQL²FDQW3UHPLHU/HDJXHUHPLHU/HDJXH their promotionpromotion from the RIWKHVHDVRQZRXOGDOVREHDZHOFRPH H[SHULHQFH &KDPSLRQVKLSWRWKH3UHPLHU&KDPSLRQVKLS ERRVWHYHQLILWPD\ZHOOFRPHWRRODWH &KHOVHDORDQHH(WKDQH(WKDQ /HDJXHDQGWKHLUWHUUL²F/HDJXHDQG ,WLVDQLQFUHDVLQJO\XSKLOOWDVNIRU:LOGHU $PSDGXDQGG ²UVWVHDVRQEDFNLQWKH²UVWVHD EXWKHDQGKLVVLGHKDYHSURYHGWKHVFHS- Under the cosh: JRDONHHSHU$DURQQ Blades boss WRS³LJKWRI(QJOLVKWRS³ WLFVZURQJEHIRUH,IWKH\FDQGRLWDJDLQLW 5DPVGDOHZKRKR Chris Wilder IRRWEDOOZDVEXLOWIRRW ZRXOGEHHYHQPRUHUHPDUNDEOH

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 41 LOOKING BACK THE ITALIAN!JOB COLIN!ALLAN!RECALLS!WHEN!ENGLAND!PASSED!ONE! OF!THEIR!BIGGEST!TESTS!WITH!FLYING!COLOURS,,,

ILLY Wright passes to Stanley inevitably dubbed, ‘The Match of the Matthews. The Maestro’s little Century’. Interest is at fever pitch for jink takes him beyond Car- this clash of football’s titans for England apellise. Then, he sidesteps are still seen as the team to beat. BGrezas and Eliani before spotting Stan It’s boiling hot as the teams walk out Mortensen making a deep run into the into this cauldron of Italian expectation. opponents’ half. From the point of view of the English All over: Tom Matthews sends a long pass for Morty press, this will be the game that con- Finney scores to run on to. Without breaking his step, ²UPV(QJODQG¬V%ULWDLQ¬VVRFFHUVXSH- England’s fourth Mortensen collects the ball but defend- ULRULW\$\HDUEHIRUHD*UHDW%ULWDLQ ers force him wide, away from goal. team had defeated The Rest of Europe Suddenly, the Englishman unleashes a 6-1 at Hampden Park. Soon afterwards, ²HUFHVKRWIURPDYHU\DFXWHDQJOH7KH England hammered Portugal 10-0 in Torino were to lose their lives a year lat- NHHSHU%DFLJDOXSRLVWDNHQE\VXUSULVH Lisbon. A win against Italy would be the HULQWKH6XSHUJDDLUGLVDVWHU%\DFUXHO He has moved slightly to his right away LFLQJRQWKHFDNHRI%ULWDLQ¬VIRRWEDOO twist of fate, Swift also lost his life in an from his near post anticipating a cross. supremacy. air crash in 1958 at Munich, when he was Consequently, there is a slight gap to England, that day in Turin, boasted a reporter covering Manchester United’s his left which Mortensen miraculously RQHRIWKHLU²QHVWHYHUIRUZDUGOLQHV ill-fated European Cup campaign. ²QGVDVKLVVKRW³LHVLQWRWKHURRIRIWKH It consisted of Matthews, Mortensen, A long-standing ‘headache’ for Eng- net. After four minutes, England are 1-0 Tommy Lawton, Wilf Mannion and Tom land’s selectors had been whether to up. Finney. pick Matthews or Finney as they were It is May 16, 1948, and England are In goal was captain Frank Swift, a both world-class right wingers. The facing their toughest test abroad since larger-than-life character who could solution for the game against Portugal the war, possibly ever. Italy are the inspire his team-mates even from his in 1947 had been to switch Finney to the continent’s strongest team. Ten years goal-line. The team also included such OHIW³DQNDVKHZDVHTXDOO\DGHSWZLWK previously they had won the World Cup, OXPLQDULHVDV%LOO\:ULJKWDQG1HLO either foot. This was also the decision DGPLWWHGO\LQWKHDEVHQFHRI%ULWLVK Franklin. for Turin. teams. Derby County’s Jack Howe, making Mortensen’s amazing goal had come %XWWKHLUIHUYHQWVXSSRUWHUVSDFNHG his England debut at left-back, won a despite Italy making the better start. into the Communale Stadium in Turin, VRUWRIIDPHE\EHFRPLQJWKH²UVWWR In fact, apart from conceding, Italy had expect - nay demand - a home victo- play for England wearing contact lenses! GRPLQDWHGSOD\LQWKH²UVWPLQXWHV ry. Italy’s manager, Vittorio Pozzo, has )RUWKHLUSDUW,WDO\ERDVWHGD²QH Their approach play had dazzled negotiated a 100,000 lire bonus for defence and were led by star forward England’s defenders and only heroics his players should they beat the Old Valentino Mazzola. Their team was cen- in goal by Swift kept them at bay. Time Masters. tred around the great Torino side which after time, he was called upon to make Turin is welcoming fans from across had won four Italian league titles. great saves. the country for a game which has been Tragically, seven of Italy’s players from Italy actually had two ‘goals’ disal-

42 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 lowed for offside. Even when Swift was and then to Lawton. He, in turn, found in the world,” he told his team-mates in beaten, Laurie Scott was on hand to Finney, who danced around a defender the dressing room after the game. “I’ll clear the ball on the goal-line. before volleying into the net. always remember this victory.” Then, in the middle of this onslaught, With that third goal, the Italians visi- Sadly, England’s dominance would England broke away to score a sec- bly wilted. Soon afterwards, Finney had not last long. On September 21, 1949, ond on 24 minutes. A Neil Franklin added his second and England’s fourth England lost their unbeaten home re- pass found Matthews who, again, fed to wrap up a convincing 4-0 triumph. cord to ‘foreign’ teams by losing 2-0 to Mortensen. England had provided a masterclass Eire (the Republic of Ireland) at Goodi- Despite being shepherded by two in soaking up pressure and striking on son Park. Italian defenders, Mortensen evaded the counter-attack. It was a momentous $\HDUODWHUFDPHWKH²DVFRRI them with an impressive burst of speed victory and meant England could still England’s 1950 World Cup campaign in and pulled a cross back for Lawton, who claim to be the masters of international Brazil, losing 1-0 to the part-timers of the hammered his shot into the Italian net. football. USA. Again, the goal had been against the run Pre-match, England had been sub- Even worse came in 1953 and 1954 of play but England were not complain- jected to some rigorous training at their when England suffered thumping ing! Stresa lakeside camp by manager Wal- defeats (6-3 and 7-1) at the feet of the The Three Lions reached the interval ter Winterbottom. Wright was to claim Magical Magyars. still 2-0 up despite continued Italian that this had given the England players %\MXVW²YH\HDUVDIWHU7XULQ pressure. And, far from being demoral- WKHKLJK²WQHVVOHYHOVWKH\KDGQHHGHG the shroud of England’s soccer suprem- ised, the Italians continued to press at to cope with both the Italian pressure acy had been ripped apart. It was not to the start of the second half. and the searing heat. re-emerge - and then only on a tempo- But, yet again, it was an English coun- England had certainly brought a rary basis - until 1966. ter-attack which paid dividends. Swift great professional spirit to the game. Yet the writer is proud to claim that threw the ball out to Scott and the ball Skipper Swift was thoroughly delight- when he was born (February 1949) Eng- ZDVPRYHGTXLFNO\XS²HOGWR0DQQLRQ ed. “You’ve made me the proudest man land were still top dogs.

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 43 BOOK REVIEWS LABOUR!OF!LOVE!IS!ON

British Football’s Greatest Grounds For example, Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge rooted in the past. Nostalgia is addictive - One Hundred Must-See Football hasn’t made the top 100 but Chorley’s and generational. Modernisation of our Venues, by Mike Bayly, published by Victory Park is included because it game means that older grounds will occu- Pitch Publishing, Price: £30 provides us with a glimpse of England’s py a tender place in our hearts. football past. Fulham’s Craven Cottage is one of the MIKE Bayly has put together a splendidly These are grounds in remote settings best-known grounds which manages to eclectic collection of 100 British football with listed or distinctive structures, encapsulate most of the characteristics of grounds with a rich commentary and grounds with stunning backdrops or a special ground. History, architecture, lo- high-quality photographs. brilliant food. These are the remarkable cation, atmosphere and individuality make The book covers a breathtaking range stories of the best-loved grounds with it a football ground dear to the heart of of ground types from the humble homes colour photographs by acclaimed sports Britain’s public. of the Non-League minnows to the me- photographers. This exceptional book emphasises the ga-stadiums of the Premier League. Rather than just being a stadium guide, sheer scale and diversity of football in the The list was compiled from a fan vote Bayly provides a potted history of each British Isles from the extremes of the Ewe which was gathered from a blog of the ground with personal observations and Camp on the remote Isle of Arran to the project and publicised by the Football interviews. It may not be historically ex- Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Association, the Football Supporters’pporters hauhaustive but the author has However, whatever the size and location Association, Groundtastic ununcoveredc some new infor- of a ground, the connection between the magazine, podcasts and mationma on the lesser-known fans and the ground is always an emotion- programme editors as grounds.gro al one. well as a talkSPORT radio HeH also challenges This captivating publication has programme. somesom of the conventional clearly been a labour of love and it will The list may draw crit- wisdom,wi based on inves- be enthusiastically received by football icism from fans of clubs tigationtig by long-standing fanatics everywhere. It will surely provide whose grounds were not supporterssu and historians. a catalyst for many football fans to start a included but this is not Bayly makes some ex- EXFNHWOLVWRIJURXQGVWKH\ZLOOGH²QLWHO\ a vanity project and the cellentce observations in his want to visit in the near future. grounds have essentially commentary.co A recurring Ian Aspinall been included because of themeth is that the popu- their uniqueness. larityla of grounds is often Rating out of 10: 9 HONEST!PIPER’S!CALL!PROVIDES

post-football. Piper, alongside co-writer injury problems, with 16 knee operations Out of the Darkness, From Top to Joe Brewin, is an honest and forthright before he has to retire. He has lax liga- Rock Bottom, My Story in Football, by author who opens up about his mistakes, ments, an anterior cruciate ligament tear, Matt Piper with Joe Brewin, published by Pitch Publishing, Price: £19.99 his alcoholism, drug-taking and criminal DKHUQLDDQGHYHQDQLQ³DPHGWHVWLFOHDW behaviours, and a near-death oone point. MATT Piper’s autobiography is a tale of experience. Sunderland manager Mick the rise, fall and redemption of a profes- Piper tells his story without MMcCarthy once said that Piper sional footballer. too much embellishment, re- ZZDVWKH²WWHVWLQMXUHGSOD\HU Piper was a rising star at Leicester City counting life as a young star- hhe’d ever seen but he also said and Sunderland but his career was prema- let rising through the ranks wwith dark humour: “F**k me - if turely cut short by a succession of injuries with tales of pranks, high yyouo were a horse you’d have and he had to retire at the age of 24. jinks and misdemeanours at bebeen shot by now.” ‘Out of the Darkness’ tells the story of Leicester and Sunderland When he decides to retire, it what happens when the dreams of being with the managers and char- cocomes as pure relief. a top professional footballer turn sour acters he encounters. “My knees have been a mess and when deep depression descends He suffers from multiple sisincen I was 16-years-old - by the

44 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 DAVE’S!TALES SOLID!GROUND CAPTURE!THE ESSENCE!OF Special place: Fulham’s Craven Cottage BEING!A!FAN

For the love not the glory, by Dave Worton, published by Led Astray Press (www.ledastraypress.bigcartel.com), Price: £10

IT’S fair to say the last few years have been pretty spectacular for Harrogate Town – so it’s just as well Dave Worton has captured the story. Four-and-a-half years ago, Worton attended a Harrogate Town match with his daughter Molly expecting it to be a one-off. The only snag was that they fell in love with the club. A couple of years later the Yorkshire club won promo- tion to the National League and Worton decided to write an article about their journey. It caught the attention of the Harrogate Advertiser and thus began his weekly column in the local paper. The thing is, it’s not a blow-by-blow VALUABLE!LESSONS account of the games. It’s about being a fan, the highs and lows, the passion, en- end, I’d lost count of the operations, injec- mons and turns his life around setting up thusiasm, going to the match and sharing tions, physio sessions, and consultations, the FSD Academy to help others achieve the experience with his daughter. the constant rehab that seemed nev- their potential, working for Radio Leices- “It just so transpired that Town hap- er-ending. Twenty years of development ter and producing his own podcast. pened to be in the form of their lives,” he IRUSURIHVVLRQDOJDPHVRYHU²YH\HDUVª It is ultimately a positive story of explained. “I guess you could say I was in he said. adapting to change when a professional the right place at the right time.” After his retirement his life spirals down- footballer’s life goes desperately wrong When he pasted his Advertiser arti- wards into depression, alcoholism and and how he achieves redemption. cles into one document in lockdown, he Valium addiction. This is a story that should be read by realised he easily had enough for a book. He reaches rock bottom: “Breaking other professional footballers but it is It proves an entertaining read as Worton down in front of your boss, your brother also a universal story of how a desperate tells the story, including the travails of calling you an embarrassment, your mum situation can be transformed for a better lockdown, from a fan’s perspective and crying in your living room every day.” future. with a sense of humour. He suffers a near-death experience and Ian Aspinall John Lyons is admitted into the Sporting Chance clinic IRUUHKDE(YHQWXDOO\KH²JKWVRIIKLVGH- Rating out of 10: 8 Rating out of 10: 8

ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 45 PLAYING THEIR PART A STEWARD’S VIEW

T’S often asked of footballers if they can ‘do it on a cold rainy night in Stoke’, BEN!ROBINSON!GIVES!US!A!WARTS-AND-ALL!EXPLANATION but not a thought is spared for the OF!ONE!OF!PFOOTBALL’S!UNSUNG!ROLES... stewards working the cold wet turn- Istiles outside the bet365 Stadium. warm is to double up on every item of Nobody should be going to work in The job isn’t glamorous, although fans clothing. fear of injury, and it is a sad state of affairs often presume that being a steward is This is without the trouble that specta- that often stewards have to wear safety easy. It is simply fake news that you can tors can cause. From the trivial - such as goggles and helmets to ensure their own watch the game and be paid for doing so. FRQ²VFDWLQJDVWUD\FDQRISRSWKDWIDOOV safety, when all they want to do is ensure Nothing could be further from the truth under the stadium’s prohibited item list, yours. – and I know. I have worked as a football to dealing with serious incidents of racism Regrettably, it is well-known what steward for over two years. and homophobia. terrible consequences can happen as a The majority of stewards do not have It’s important to remember that if things result of failure to follow proper safety a view of the pitch, they are manning go wrong, it is the job of the stewards to procedures, yet stewards receive dog’s emergency exits or are placed in positions ensure that spectators are kept safe, and abuse for following protocol and some outside the stadium. that they are trained to deal with a range fans are all too happy to ignore stewards’ Meanwhile, those lucky enough to be RILQFLGHQWVIURPWHUURUDWWDFNVWR²UH instructions. inside the ground are under strict instruc- evacuations. However, it is important to note that it’s tions to face the crowd at all times, and They’re not jobsworths who won’t let not all doom and gloom. Ultimately, the if you’re placed pitch-side you have the you drink alcohol in view of the game, job is incredibly rewarding. You’re part of added dread of being hit by a stray shot they’re vital workers who ensure that something bigger- you get to be a cog in or pass. spectator safety legislation is followed to the wheel of the matchday experience for 1REULJKW³XRUHVFHQWMDFNHWLVVWURQJ the letter. thousands of fans, and your work helps to enough to face the onslaught of a British As those who work in the segrega- ensure that they remain safe. winter, and yet the jacket is too warm for tion lines between the home and away When supporters gradually return to the summer months. sections will know, fans can be horrible to football, let’s appreciate the role that If you’re outside, you’re in constant fear those who are only trying to ensure every- stewards play in providing fans safe of being rained (or worse snowed) on, one remains safe. Often, abuse is hurled, access to football. Without them, football and in the winter the only way to keep alongside coins and other projectiles. simply would not be the same.

46 LATE TACKLE ISSUE 71 CLASSIFIEDS

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ISSUE 71 LATE TACKLE 47 BE CLOSE TO THE PASSION

IssueIssue No. No. 1078 945 SundaySunday NovemberMay 6, 2018 22, 2020 £1.50£1.50 / / €€3.003.00 Issue No. 947 Sunday May 20, 2018 €3.00 £1.50 /

THE ORIGINALTHE ORIGINAL AND THE BEST AND THE BEST

WE’VE DONE IT: Tranmere players celebrate Larnell THE NLP ANSWERS BACK TO THECole’s clincher at MY HERO Prenton Park RE: PAGES 4-5:THE ORIGINAL PICTU INSIDE:AND THE BEST ROGER ShutterPress NATIONAL LEAGUE BOARD’S LETTERHAS OF HAD COMPLAINT HIS GO! FANS CLASH By David Lawrence OWN KLEY T s BRAC y Lewi r Dann f keepe emories o AT CASUALS’ s fond m tunately ha unfor y mbley – Bromle We nclude lso i hnson they a e! PLAY-OFF ipper Roger Joverwar sk il some s gham lifting e Birmin BOX massiv owd he e cr T as in th ty fan w d Blues FINALAND Ci elove l see his b he fina to nal in t ck in DRAGONS’ FIRE: beat Arse Cup ba rling son Wrexham celebrate of the Ca as John hy Luke Young’s goal 2011, and it w op ho hoisted the trf a after a weekPublished to by w end o s remember with the loft at the or ten The League Paper Ltd a day f oses imminent takeover by ROBINS ARE morable f Bluen me usands o Rob McElhenney and OFFICE of tho . owd eatest Ryan Reynolds, inset in the cr as the gr PICTURE: Alun Roberts “That w wis SINGING WITH y life,” Le er of m ing Rog day d. “See as admitte e cup w n lift th st Johnso . I’m ju COUNTDOWN! ing else erent PROMOTION meth diff so a g there’s e’s Read this hopin ime. H WEMBLEY WELCOME: me this t nd outco one that a Bromley,ALSO Brackley, Stockton It’s Non-League Finals here, d been t one else Day where Brackley let some SMASH! should Town meet Bromley e a go! s has hav ile Lewi in the FA Trophy, nd wh finals A lay-off while Stockton Town ed in p inst Wrexham’s star quality play Cup aga and Thatcham headingthe difference to Wembleyfor Dean face Thatcham Town d the FA e an nd at th STAMFORDWREXHAM capped a week Keates’ side in the 1-0 win. in the FA Vase nderla t, he PICTURE: ActionAndy Images Nunn & Su f Ligh in the spotlight with a cru- ROVERSElsewhere, there was ROARdium o nal will Sta ay’s fi ry. cial victory over Aldershot late drama as Notts County pes tod e memo ho st in th Town to celebrate their star conceded a stoppage-time e longe bly action- packed SUNK BY liv oba r takeover. strike against Chesterfield, “I have p re lved in mo The National League only to score twice them- en invo s in my be t game selves to come back and rtan as to be Dragons are set to relin- impo t this h BEDWORTH eer, b u he quish fan ownership to win a thrilling derby 3-2. car ame,” t ndout g ery actors Ryan Reynolds and Hartlepool United beat the sta aid. “Ev ar-old s laying

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