“Few football clubs can lay claim to a history as successful and yet ultimately tragic as that of Hakoah Vienna. An exclusively Jewish team which enjoyed global fame for a short time before being unsentimentally dissolved by Nazi invaders, Hakoah’s history now stands as a monument to the Jewish culture which blossomed in Central Europe during the first decades of the twentieth century, only to be abominably stamped out by the forces of the Third Reich.” The Equaliser

“Say this for David Pearce’s novel The Damned Utd – it was the first really unembarrassed cultural treatment that the national game has ever had. Fever Pitch broke the ground. But Fever Pitch was gauche, blushing, unsure of its reception. It was essentially uncontroversial, and that is what has set The Damned Utd apart: the real hurt and confusion the novel caused, the bad memories it revived, the losses it refreshed. It may have helped cement Brian Clough in his full and proper place in the public life of the country, but The Damned Utd exhumed Don Revie and Revie’s Leeds along the way, and didn’t do the same for them at all.” More Than Mind Games

“In this feature for the ‘My Favourite Goal’ series I’m going to bring you back to an era before the exotic world of Italian football was brought to our screens by James Richardson and the wonderful Football Italia on Channel 4. Italia 90 is widely regarded as the launchpad to the international stage of ‘Calcio’ and my favourite goal catapulted a young Italian with a rather dodgy mullet to worldwide stardom. The 23-year-old Roberto Baggio, who had remained on the sidelines for Italy’s two opening games of the group stages, made his World Cup debut against Czechoslovakia at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome – and, in the 77th minute, with one exquisite display of his talents, he scored a goal that Italian commentator Bruno Pizzul described as ‘a piece of art.’” Ghost Goal

“A year ago this month, we took a look at ten of the finest films and television shows ever made on the subject of football. In some respects, finding truly excellent programming about the game is more difficult than it is to find absolute rot, but there are some rules that we can apply which help us find our way through the minefield of production companies that want us to watch their offerings. Looking down the list of the great films, you may note that almost all of them are documentaries, with only Jimmy McGovern’s “Hillsborough” and Jack Rosenthal’s “Another Sunday And Sweet FA” making the cut from the section of the archive marked “Fiction”.” twohundredpercent

“It was the only U.S. soccer team America ever truly loved. So how do you even begin to breathe life back into the New York Cosmos without it coming off as a cheap imitation? How do you go about restarting a professional sports franchise with such a loaded name from scratch, anyway?” ESPN

“You may well have come across Rocco Cammisola’s football writing at ITV Sport, In Bed With Maradona or maybe on his blog The Football Express. Oh and Rocco is also a Twitter legend so follow him @RCammisola .. this is his account of the last ever goal in the European Cup Winners’ Cup” Ghost Goal

“The 1930s was a decade which played host to several of the European game’s most historically significant stars, but on British shores few were held in higher regard than Everton’s William Ralph ‘Dixie’ Dean. One of the most prolific forwards to have ever graced the game, Dean was in many ways the player who defined the decade in English football.” The Equaliser

“This week’s episode of Friday Flashback Videos takes a trip back to 1969 to a match played between West Ham United and Manchester City on a slippery pitch at Upton Park. The match features some legendary English footballers such as Manchester City’s Francis Lee, Mike Summerbee and Colin Bell against West Ham United featuring Geoff Hurst, Harry Redknapp, Frank Lampard Sr., Trevor Brooking, Bobby Moore and others. As you’ll see from the above video, it was a highly entertaining match with some wonderful goals.” EPL Talk

“An elegant Danubian centre-forward know to his contemporaries as ‘The Mozart of Football’, Matthias Sindelar was arguably the finest European player the 1930s produced. Born in Kozlov in the Austro-Hungarian Empire to a family of Moravian descent, Sindelar’s career began in Vienna in 1916 and continued upon a steep upward trajectory until his tragically premature death 1939.” The Equaliser

“Along with Robert Prosinečki, Siniŝa Mihajlović and Dejan Savićević, Dragan Stojković was an integral member of that immensely gifted generation of Yugoslavian footballers which graced the European game during the late eighties and early nineties. A key part of the dominant Red Star Belgrade side of the same period, Stojković is now carving out a successful coaching career on the other side of the world.” The Equaliser

“If not a truly ‘formative’ episode in my football timeline, the 1986 World Cup is still a regular feature in my mind’s private cinema. Maybe not the most regular feature, ahem, but still a vivid series of memories. The drama during my country’s qualification, the loss of Big Jock at Ninian Park, the palaver over whether Kenny and Jocky were gonna play, Strachan’s ‘refusal’ at the ad hording hurdle… ” Level3Football

“Here’s one man’s choice for Real Madrid’s team of the decade, 2000 to 2010…” SI

“It is a statement that has been made by thousands of children. When Nelson Valdez promised that he would score at a World Cup tournament for Paraguay to his mother, who was crying after Paraguay had been eliminated in 1998, it was a promise that had been heard by many other parents. Nelson Valdez was different though, he would strive to fulfil this pledge.” In Bed With Maradona

“It is one of the most storied matches in the history of football, but the identity of its players are unknown, the final scoreline is the subject of much debate and even the situation and circumstances in which it took place are shrouded in myth, supposition and propaganda. The football match, or series of football matches, that took place on Christmas Day, 1914, on the Western Front during World War I are legendary.” ESPN

“On Saturday, Italy’s Inter will play in the final of the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi. While the tournament may currently be seen as a diversionary exhibition for FIFA, its predecessor, the Intercontinental Cup, achieved a level of notoriety in the 1960s, particularly following an infamous game between Milan and Estudiantes in 1969 that resulted in broken bones, red cards and mass arrests. It was a battle that established the Argentinean club’s formidable reputation for anti-futbol, and damaged the competition’s integrity.” ESPN

“Rafael Benítez travelled to the Club World Cup hoping to save his job. In the first of two features looking at the competition, Adamo Digby recalls a clash between two heavyweights of world football, and a happier time for Italian teams.” In Bed With Maradona

David Villa
eOrigin

“This week’s Video Of The Week is a very special find from YouTube, the first part of the BBC’s 1995 documentary series on the history of European football, “Fussball, Football, Voetbal”. Recorded as part of the build-up to the 1996 European Championships, this two-parter, narrated by John Motson, traces the history of European club football, with the first episode coming at the subject from the point of view of British clubs, and the second from the point of view of some of the major continental powers. If you can get past the slightly oversentimental tone of some of it, it features one of the finest collections of archive footage of European football that can be seen in any single place. Our thanks go to the original uploader of this wonderful documentary series.” twohundredpercent

“Many of us spent last Saturday afternoon sitting at home with nothing better to do than watch “Carry On Camping” on the television, but recent winters have been some way off the worst of the lot. In this (slightly amended) article, first written for Twohundredpercent in December of last year after a similar white blanket covered the country, we took the chance to look back upon the 1962/63 season.” twohundredpercent.net

“Working class icon. World-record breaking sprinter. African royalty. Goalkeeper. Arthur Wharton’s story is worth a few moments of your time, Josh Clarke elaborates.” In Bed With Maradona

El Salvador defeats Honduras in Mexico City, 1969.
“Take yourself back to 1969. Richard Nixon is the new President of the United States, John Lennon is spending an increasing amount of time in bed, Thunderclap Newman are top of the charts and, in a far-flung corner of Central America, El Salvador and Honduras do battle in what has come to be known as the ‘Soccer War’. The cultural, political and historical narrative that lay behind the fleeting conflict was complex, but both countries had been locked into a series of economic and social disputes along their shared border for the best part of three decades.” (Equaliser Football)

“Roy of the Rovers was as bigger part of my childhood as football stickers and near constant rejection by women. I looked forward to Melchester Rovers weekly adventures more than ‘Arry Redknapp looks forward to a transfer window. I was an addict and mum was the dealer, scoring for me every Wednesday so I could consume the whole magazine as soon as I got home from school. I once had a letter printed asking what Roy thought his transfer value was in the light of Chris Waddle’s £4.5m transfer to Marseille, I’m not sure the birth of my first child will top the feeling.” (I Know Who Cyrille Makanaky Was)

“The 1980s could not have been more miserable for Leeds United. Unfortunate to suffer an eight year sojourn outside Division 1 at a time when football reached its lowest ebb and beset by hooliganism and low gates, it was a decade of despair matched only by their recent, financially driven decline. Lowlights included Paul Petts’ hat-trick in a 5-1 defeat at Gay Meadow in 1983 and a 5-0 tonking by Chelsea that saw the whites’ hated rivals promoted on the last day of that same campaign.” (the two unfortunates)

“On 30 May 1993: Chile played Colombia in Santiago, the game was a friendly warm-up match for Copa América 1993. The result was 1-1 and the highlight was this scorpion kick style goal from 21 year old striker Víctor Aristizábal.” (Fútbol Fútbol Fútbol)

Partidazo: Argentina 0-5 Colombia, 5 September 1993 – Argentina’s shame
“On 5 September 1993 Colombia travelled to Argentina to play a World Cup qualifier at Estadio Monumental. What happened in the game sent shockwaves through the world of football.” (Fútbol Fútbol Fútbol)

“June 10, 1990 — Control your emotions. I know national anthems can be moving, but there’s a game to be played. In fact, there are three games to play. If you can’t handle these early moments, maybe this isn’t for you. If you find this stressful, you should be concerned because it will take a herculean effort for you to make it through the Backstreet Boys, the internet and financial armageddon, three things that I’m just guessing are on the horizon. What’s the internet you ask? I’m not sure. It’s 1990.” (Nutmeg Radio)

Jock Stein
“This week’s Video Of The Week sees us return to the BBC’s Match Of The Eighties collection for the final episode in the series, for the 1985/86 season. The season before had been the one in which English football had finally been found out with the twin tragedies of Valley Parade and Heysel exposing the extent of the rottenness at the core of the game. English clubs were banned from European competition indefinitely and, as if to mark the fall from grace of the game, a dispute over television rights meant that no live matches in the First Division were shown until Christmas.” (twohundredpercent)

“This is what we know. The New York Cosmos are back with intentions on being the 20th MLS franchise in 2013. It’s run by famous industry names like Paul Kemsley, Terry Byrne, and famed advertising executive Carl Johnson, as well as more locally entrenched talent like Giovanni Savarese and Joe Fraga. They got Pele as the honorary president. They purchased Copa NYC (soon to be called Cosmos Copa), a citywide amateur World Cup of sorts.” (this is american soccer – pt. 1), (this is american soccer – pt. 2)

“There’s always a clash of cultures in my household. Having a half-Austrian wife and being of Greek descent myself, often throws up half-jovial debates as to which country has given the world more in an artistic and philosophical sense. For every Greek philosopher, she counters with Freud. For every Mozart and Strauss, she gets a Homer or Sophocles in response. And for a Telly Savalas, she can always trump me with an Arnie. But its within the realm of football, that I’ve had the upper hand since Greece’s triumph at Euro 2004. That is until a recent visit to Vienna opened my eyes to a modestly lauded footballing history that makes the Austrian national side’s current stagnation, all the more saddening.” (In Bed With Maradona)

“With the benefit of hindsight the 1984/85 season and its hideous denouement had been coming, but it wasn’t any less of a surprise when it played out before our very eyes. The safety of football grounds had not been properly addressed in decades and clubs themselves didn’t have either the inclination or the resources to do very much about spectators that they didn’t seem to consider to be much above vermin in the food chain. Meanwhile, crowds had long before started to plummet and trouble at matches had become part of the match day routine for many thousands, whether they wanted to be or not.” (twohundredpercent)

“With Frank Rijkaard linked to the Liverpool job, it’s worth noting that he really pulled up no trees with Galatasaray. The Dutchmans replacement at Istanbul, is former coach Gheorghe Hagi. IBWM’s Romanian correspondent Radu Baicu feels this could go well.” (In Bed With Maradona)

“Two members of the Santos, Brazil soccer team passed the ball forward along the sideline, then shot it toward the small man called Pel�, who was waiting in front of the goal. Pel� lifted his right leg in a short, quick motion and looped the ball over one defender’s head. He dodged past that man and lifted the ball again as two more defenders approached. The ball seemed to hang in midfiight as Pel� feinted to his left; then he ducked his shoulders and lunged between his opponents. Before a shocked goaltender could react, Pel� drove the shot into the net with his head.” (SI)

“It’s a couple of days later than usual, but this week’s Video Of The Week returns to the BBC’s ‘Match Of The Eighties’ series and on to the 1983/84 season. Liverpool had run away with the 1982/83 league title and they were to repeat this by finishing three points clear of Southampton, with Nottingham Forest in third place. How times have changed. Meanwhile, it wasn’t a terribly good year for most clubs in the Midlands – West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City, Coventry City, Birmingham City and Wolverhampton Wanderers took up the bottom six places in the First Division.” (twohundredpercent)

“We’ve got something a little different for you tonight, with the launch of our very own Tumblr page. We’ll be putting videos, MP3s and links up on this site, hopefully on a very regular basis. This is starting off with this week’s Video Of The Week, which is the third in the BBC’s “Match Of The Eighties” series. This week’s episode looks at the 1982/83 season. It was the oddest of seasons. Liverpool ran away with the First Division championship, but Watford, in their first ever season in the First Division, finished in second. Their local rivals Luton Town managed to survive relegation on the last day of the season, relegating Manchester City instead Brighton & Hove Albion came within one kick of winning the FA Cup Final, against Manchester United. This video comes in four parts, and our thanks go to the original uploader.” (twohundredpercent), (twohundredpercent – 1)

“This week’s Video Of The Week continues a series of the Danny Baker hosted BBC series ‘Match Of The Eighties’. This week, the BBC flexes its archive muscles for the 1981/82 season. It was – and this seems difficult to believe, even now – the first season of three points for a win in the Football League. It was also a season that saw one of the most remarkable come-backs in the history of English football. Liverpool had a disastrous start to the season and were in tenth place in the table at Christmas before going on an oustanding run throughout the second half of the season and grabbing the title from Ipswich Town on the last day of the season.” (twohundredpercent)

“It was always there. We knew about the academies, and we saw the players. We knew the clubs, but were things faltering after capitalism took hold? For a while maybe, but Russia is ready to dominate football. Domm Norris looks at some history.” (In Bed with Maradona)