For many clubs, falling from established Premier League status to the Championship bears resemblance to the infamous story of when rapper Coolio dived into the crowd at a gig in Stoke-on-Trent only to be robbed and injured by those in attendance.   One moment, everyone below you is watching on in envy, merely standing and…

The year is 1993, 17th of November. Bulgaria, in the face of Emil Kostadinov, have just managed an extraordinary goal in the dying seconds of stoppage time against France to go to the 1994 FIFA World Cup at the expense of their opposition.   Despite Bulgaria having a history of being a tricky side over…

On the third week of the 2015/16 Ligue 1 season, OGC Nice hosted SM Caen at the Allianz Riviera. The spectators had been starved of real quality for much of the match, with the two sides level at 0-0 and only a third of the game left to play. This all changed in the 67th…

8th of January 1994 remains a day that not many football fans will ever forget. It was El Clasico, on the grandest stage of them all in Europe, Camp Nou, that brought a stunning result 5-0 for The Dream Team led from the bench by the Master himself, Johan Cruyff, against their bitter rivals, Los…

The tale of football in Casablanca and how passion, politics and identity rule the terraces. North African clubs have dominated the CAF competitions with the Moroccan teams from Casablanca’s Stade Mohammed V among the most successful.    Much of the world probably associates Casablanca with the 1940s movie drama – fair enough given its cultural…

In 1096, Peter I’s Aragonese army was heavily outnumbered by the forces of Al-Musta’in II of Zaragoza. Defeat looked certain. That was before, as legend would have it, Saint George miraculously appeared on the battlefield, patronising the Aragonese and swinging the battle in their favour. He cut off the heads of four Muslim leaders and…

Chronicling the evolution of FC St. Pauli and how they epitomise what many clubs aim for – weaving together culture, politics, and ideals.   Few clubs have taken on such a cult status as FC St. Pauli (FCSP). Synonymous with the image of the skull and crossbones and unashamedly political and diverse, St Pauli have…

The story of a city with a distinctive, strong heritage and the ups and downs of its football club; with top division years followed by relegations and financial turmoil, disintegration – and then rebirth. All of this, always with a backdrop of passionate support, loyal players and strong identity.   On Italy’s west coast in…

  Chapter 1: A Generational Talent     The buzz around Wayne Rooney started well before his debut against Spurs at the start of the 02/03  season. After scoring 8 goals in 8 games on the way to the 2001/02 FA Youth Cup final, Rooney was finally named as an unused sub against Southampton and crucially…

“Who?” Was the reaction from many when Sheriff Tiraspol were drawn from pot four into a group surrounded by Champions League heavyweights. The question, in this instance, is probably a fair one. Even the most dedicated Football Manager players and self-proclaimed European football experts would be hard-pressed for knowledge on these Champions League debutants. The…