Football Italia

Goooooalazzzzzo!

Anyone who remembers that iconic goal shout will remember channel fours biggest sporting achievement - bringing glamerous Italian Serie A football to terrestrial television sets.

It's actually only been seven years since the Football Italia programne finished in 2008 (2002 on C4), but it seems longer as it was far removed from it's mid 90s heyday.

Back then it had everything. Saturday mornings the suave James Richardson sat crossed legged enjoying a leisurely alfresco breakfast whilst dissecting the Italian sports pages for us. Interviews with world class players plying their trade in the then best league on earth. And then goal round ups from previous weekend, with seemingly all involving high skill and/or spectacular finishing.

Sunday afternoons really were Super Sundays, free televised full match of something like the Milan derby. No Stoke v Hull being billed as 'Super' and charging £40 a month.

There'd often be a few ex pats on display as English geniuses like Gascoigne, Platt, Ince and, er, Dorigo left our dull old game to put their wits against Maradona, Baggio, Vialli, Maldini, Zola et al. Pundetry would be Mr cool again, Richardson, but Italian football connoisseurs like Paul Heaton and Elvis Costello would occasionally show up to provide their expertry.

The fans were unreal too. Far left and far right and seldom in between, cauldrons of noise, flares and flags. Support taken to ultra level.

Pink strips. Never seen those before. Palmero and Juventus (away) proudly trotting out in 'salmon'. Cool. Fiorentina sponsored by Nintendo. And their away kit with the Nazi swastika hidden in it. Squad numbers in the 30s and 40s was a foreign concept too given the English football league was still using 1-11.

In short mid 90s Italian footie had glamour, class, wealth and style. And it was all epitomised by Football Italia. Bellissimo.

Mundial

Mundial magazine. A one off mag that celebrates everything good about the world cup - the clobber, the stickers, the underdogs, the memories and even the dopey mascots.

Has to be said I thought this magazine, despite being produced by the likes of STAND, Proper and CC, would be (like most of the tournaments England have taken part in) a bit disappointing. The hype surrounding the mag, like any World Cup the Three Lions enter, was unbelievable and I didn't think Mundial could live up it, even with the list of credible contributors.

But I'm literally blown away by it, it's as satisfying as a Scotland defeat to Costa Rica. Only 2014 copies world wide which are each named after a player from World Cup history. I've landed 1315 Toni Turek. A German keeper from days of old. Disappointed it wasn't Gazza. But he did make an appearance in the excellent CC/Peter O'Toole collectors cards, twice. And unlike Gazza there'll only be tears of joy with this mag.

The Spezial One

Saw this on twitter and felt the need to share. The Spezial One summing up how many feel about the 'beautiful game' using only a few words, where many would use ten thousand. Follow at @OllyverTweet

Autumn Casual

Few bits and pieces I've picked up for the autumn, but shrewdly got during the summer so they nice and cheap.

First up a pair of shoes I've had on my radar for awhile, some long since deadstocked Clark's Minster Moors in tan. Love the design of these and they're perfect for dressing up or down - example worn for a posh meal with the wife the other night and shall be gracing my feet at Bootham Crescent tomorrow.

Next another nice bit of shirting from my favourite French fashion house Faconnable. In a pleasing shade of pink (for late summer) and brown (autumn ticked off too) check with the usual high quality detailing. Smart.

From the sublime to the faintly ridiculous. Vintage St. Michael grandad shirt in very typical 'your grandad' shades of brown, beige and grey. Lose fitting and linen, this will become my gig shirt the next time the Mondays roll into town.

Another bit of 90s vintage next. An old school Stone Island over shirt. Very lightweight and baggy with a simple design, has been thrown on over a polo when strolling down to get the Mirror. Been ages since I bought some Stoney but this was available for peanuts so couldn't resist.

Next up some cult badges. First a soon to be sold out blue (Hartlepool!) Stand against modern football pin from distant echo. I was online purchasing issue five of the mag when I spotted these, and red ones, fresh in. Purchase had to be made. After that we've got a pin from North East based A Casual Man blog. Those of you who haven't marked my words and visited his site, please follow link elsewhere on this blog. Love the simple yet classy nature of this pin, words which could also sum up the blog nicely.

Wimbledon v Franchise MK

The FA Cup tie that should never have been if the FA had done its job in 2002. The soul of a South London community ripped away and relocated 70 miles north in Milton Keynes, twinned with Middle Earth. A disgusting and unfeasible idea that somehow came true. An appalling excuse for a football club, taking the heritage and history of Wimbledon FC to get their place in the Football League, and then throw it away once established. Merton Council became the proud owners of replica FA Cups and the like and they kindly passed them on to the breakaway club - AFC Wimbledon.

AFC have since become everyone's second favourite team. A football club run like what a football club should be run like, by the fans for the fans. They've been used as a template for other supporters fed up with their lot (FC United) or fans who's clubs require rising from the ashes of going bust (Halifax, Chester etc.). Starting out at the lowest level they've fought their way back into the Football League within the decade since formed.

 And yesterday the two entities that were once Wimbledon FC came together in the FA Cup second round. Myself, like countless others, tuned in to ITV as an honoury Womble for the day. Many actual Wimbledon fans boycotted the event, unable to face the scene of the crime. Many did make the journey and were in superb voice - no mean feat given many were wearing smog masks to protect them from toxic MK. The AFC directors themselves refused their seats in the directors box and took up residence behind the goal with the other real dons fans - all in it together. The disgusting Franchise MK fans, many of whom were no doubt 'loyal' Spurs/Arsenal/Man U fans before the 'club' formed in 2004, adopted the Millwall chant 'No One Likes Us'. True. And no one likes Millwall. But, unlike you lot, no one wishes their families dead.

It was a decent game. AFC the plucky underdogs had the spirit of the crazy gang on their side. The veteran goalkeeper Sullivan calm and assured, the defence strong and resolute, the wingers nippy and dangerous and the forwards brave and daring. MK making me feel sick with their ex semi pro Scouse James Corden lookalike boss Karl Robinson (bet he's a hit with the ladies) and well organised team. They scored first and grudgingly it was a beauty. In a game that was 50-50, a 25 yarder from Gleeson curled past the keeper and knocked the wind out of AFC just before half time. ''You're getting beat by a Franchise'' chanted the MK parasites.

They were still reeling after the break and looked short of confidence as Franchise turned the screw and looked to go on to win. 42 year old Neil Sullivan, who's career has come full circle after being an original Wimbledon player, made a string of decent saves to keep MK away. Things looked bleak. And then AFC broke away and scored. A cross in from the lively right winger was met by a diving head from Jack Midson. Cue a mini pitch invasion from the Wombles who'd spent the best part of ten years waiting for that goal.

Unfortunately for them, The club, fans everywhere and football in general, the celebrations were short lived. MK Dons scored a winner in the 89th minute. The underhand club scored in the most underhand way. A deflected backheel found its away past the keeper and crashed into the net. Cue delirium from a bunch of soulless wankers and cry's of anguish from every decent football supporter worldwide...

Now that the tie is over, all the best to AFC Wimbledon in whatever competition they're in and let's go on ignoring MK Dons until they go under. Don't acknowledge them.

Ten Reasons Why I hate Soccer AM...

1) Helen Chamberlain - She isn't, or never has been, that fit. People fucking rave about her, although I'm guessing it's mainly by the under age drinking brigade, who's parents have paid to put Sky in their bedroom, and can therefore have a cheeky hungover shuffle under blankets to her after a Friday night binge. Hell's Bells! Plus there's no doubt she's a big football fan. Would you want that in a woman? I want a lass who doesn't realize, or turns a blind eye to, what goes on on a Saturday afternoon. I don't want arguments about suspect offsides or refereeing decisions with me lass. She should be talking about nondescript womanly things that mean the world to her kind and not that much to us, as you drift out and give the telly your focus, occasionally agreeing when it sounds like she requires a response... "Are you fucking listening to me?!" That's a lass. Not a fucking gobshite Torquay United supporter. Oh, and she drives a better car than you in her Austen Martin, which she seems to mention at least twice in an episode.

Erm...she's not that fit

2) The word 'Soccer' is in the title - Welcome to Britain, don't use that word.

3) It's A Shite Baddiel and Skinner -Follows the Fantasy Football League mantra but at least that was on late so they could be rude and say naughty words, thus providing the odd giggle. Plus that finished many moons ago. They had the foresight to realise FFL was growing old and outdated and put a bullet in its head. There's no such luck with Soccer AM. Yet.

4) Celebrity Guests - From trendy teen bands or cult television programmes proving that Soccer AM has it's finger on the cusp of what's hip and now. But they're usual boring as fuck, attempting to add to the atmosphere with funny comments that no one finds funny. What is funny however is that they always support tMan Utd/City, Liverpool, Chelsea or Arsenal. 


5) Pat McGroin / Hairy Strikers / Frankie Frier - Unoriginal. Unfunny.

6) The Full Kit Wankers of the week - Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa, Crew Alex et al. They've all been on. Eight of your clubs twatty supporters who wear the full kit with no shame - and at least three of them are usually fucking massive. They make a bit of noise and grunt/cheer during the interviews to ensure the 'banter' reaches fever pitch. They also get to sing about how great their support is for their club, although by the looks of some of them Soccer AM is the only awayday they've ever been on.

Millwalls Finest

7) Tim Lovejoy - Obviously he's not on it anymore but Soccer AM gave this cretin the platform to carve out a career in TV. Once upon a time it was just the armchair fans who subscribed to SKY who were stuck with him, but now the prick is exposed to the nation on terrestrial channels. Arrogant and ignorant, this child of the Premier League calls himself a massive football supporter, but openly admits he's clueless about anything going on below 20th place in the EPL. Has been interviewed many times and always says the same, that big money, foreign owners and expensive import signings are good for the game. By game he means the top division. Was allowed to preach this opinion from his pedestal for too long, spokesperson for the glamerous Premier League and modern football. A puppet for Sepp Blatter, footsoldier for Roman Abramovich etc. When he left Soccer AM he stated that hardest thing ''Is the thought that I might no longer be influencing the game'' - with statements like that he deserves his gay sit in with Simon Rimmer on whatever fucking channel is showing them cook shite on a Sunday.

Love's Rimmer

8) Anyone Presenting Who Isn't Tim Lovejoy - There's people who have sat next to Helen instead of him, trying to actually emulate the cunt.

9) It's Pointless - Another one of Sky's measures in their reinvention of football, along with early kick offs, Monday night fixtures, Gary Neville deconstructing goals and moves with painful and needless accuracy, and Sky Sports News. One of those 'glamerous' extras we must live with to watch the beautiful game whilst Sky has it in the palm of its cold hard hand.

10) It Goes On and On - It's on a LONG fucking time. Instead of watching that shite, why not do a few jobs in that time for the missus to get in her good books, and then use that window gained in the afernoon to spend a fiver and go watch your local non league club?

Recent Purchases

Few bits and pieces amassed during last couple of months -

Aquascutum scarf. Had one of these for yonks but outed it on eBay and regretted it. I know the house check is a oft maligned thing these days, but 'Water shield' scarf is a classic. Picked up this lana wool one from TKM.

Getting back into me skinhead gear - got a crombie jacket recently but couldn't get a decent photo of it - and this vintage houndstooth shirt fits the bill perfectly. It's by Ralph Lauren which obviously isn't traditional skinhead gear but it's got no branding and the staple button down collar. A winner for a bin lid off eBay.

From the sublime to the faintly ridiculous. Another Ralph shirt (I do wear other brands I promise) with no branding but with a whacky design that could only be Lauren. Patchwork quilt 'Bob Camp' short sleeved button down, again for next to nowt offa fleabay.

Chatham have been providing top notch quality boating gear for over two decades now. Based in Kent they've become a staple label for British designed and made technical clothing for offshore activities. Smart pair of brown deck shoes from TKM for £15.

Break from the norm with these. Certainly never have been or never will be a plimsol wearer, and have previously scoffed at guys on forums claiming Supergra kicks are good. Still not a hundred percent on them, but they're comfy and will be decent for kicking around in. And couldn't resist from same TKM for £7. Daft money.

Balls to all that half and half scarf nonsense. But don't mind flashing a bit of club and country. Got this Pools/England badge for the San Marino game back in October as I tried to get excited about national games again. Didn't work. And a steward mistook it for a Burnley badge.

Issue two of Stand AMF. Issue No 1 sold out with a fortnight so was pleased got the second issue of the best magazine around at the moment. Worried I might of missed out as it went AWOL in the post but those #AMF lads sent out another one no questions asked.

Slightly disappointing artwork and album title, but being a Madness die hard the incredibly positively named Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da has been added to the stack of CDs. The nutty boys tenth studio album is a bit less exciting as some efforts, but still a couple of cracking tunes on it. The main single they're pushing 'My Girl 2' is a splendid blend of ska mixed with Northern Soul. Beautiful.

Factory Records Graphic Album book. Wanted this for ages and the wife duly delivered with this on my birthday. Expect a post on this very very soon...

Modern Football is Rubbish

 

#AMF

Stand AMF

Is it just me or is there a lot of fanzine/mags coming out of late? And they all seem to stem from a disloving of our national game in some form or other. Those dapper gents at Proper mag now prefer their journalism, rambling and real ale, but they had became disillusioned with football long before Stockport County's football league demise. Putting their efforts into the excellent Proper (and Connoisseur Co) with splendid results doesn't leave much time for football. Next up 1500 magazine was released to be distributed at football grounds for supporters do have something half decent to read, rather than the club propaganda issued programmes. Even the majority of fanzines have become less of the fans views as the editors bend over for club and take one so they can get interviews etc.

So this leads me to the next publication, which doesn't so much nail it's colours to the mast, but hoists a massive red socialist flag to right to the very top for all the fat cats and money men to see and fear - ladies and gentlemen I give you Stand Against Modern Football . And it is a mag put together by like minded individuals from all walks of life - supporters of Premier League teams through to non league/foreign and even the odd ex professional footballer - all with the same view. That modern football is shit.

The magazine sets out it's stall by calling itself after something that has become outlawed in modern football. Standing. "Pay up, sit down, shut up, fuck off". That's modern football. And even the odd ground where terracing remains it's overpriced. They talk about living costs and property prices spiraling out of control but I'd dare say the cost of standing has overtaken the rate of inflation - what used to cost a few quid pre 1992 is now (at Hartlepool at least) £20. Same facilities, same ground, same standard of football somehow equals increased price.

This magazine has been coming awhile as more and more get fed up, and in fact it astonishes me that is hasn't come out sooner. The football league has been shafted since 1992 when the breakaway league pulled the ladder up and stopped putting their gold in the sharing pot. It surprises me more clubs haven't gone to the wall in this 20 years period, although many have been, or and still are, threatened with it. Off the top of my head Chester, Halifax and Darlington have all been dissolved to be reformed in the non league pyramid, hearts ripped out of community. But this is what the moneymen wanted, to cut away the dead ducks and make their own businesses more profitable. The likes of C(unt) Martin Edwards himself said in the late 80s that "for the good of the game, they need to be put to sleep".

And where there's a buck to be made even football league teams are guilty of following the Premiership clubs. The template now is to have a souless concrete all seater bowl on the edge of the town in an industrial estate, miles away from the community it serves, whilst the centrally located, run down and ramshackle, but much loved old ground is bulldozed to make flats. Or even the once unthinkable worse case scenario is to have the club taken away and bastardised in attempt to make it more profitable/attractive, as what happened to supporters of Wimbledon when the owners changed them to Franchise FC in Milton Keynes with the full backing of the FA. Delighted to see MK continue to struggle in the lower reaches of the spectrum.

It's all about the money and always will be. The fans are just seen as open wallets to be exploited. The likes of SKY pumps the money in meaning the foreign players came in. Yes the standard of football has increased I'll admit that. But at what cost? Cost! Inflated player wages that the English players also receive by default because 'Johnny foreigner does' but have they improved their game? Have they fuck. Time and time again watching England is a shit experience because the players just haven't advanced or developed. They take this money and they're tactically at the same level they were 20-30 years ago. They're still inept and just plain crap. They're frauds.

Anyway I've gone off on one. Stand AMF is a top mag and it's been needed. And I'll be stood below their red flag saluting and taking arms when the revolution arrives. And arrive it will.