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Well, that’s the theory. I’ve no evidence to back it up. If it is Arsenal, and it is 1897, not only is the film taken within 12 months of the invention of the entire technology, but it’s captured Arsenal’s horrid old ground at Plumstead. Here.

First up, silly, patronising film by British Pathe showing England training for the 1970 World Cup. A wonderful Duncan Edwards tribute by Matt Busby and Wilf McGuinness. Blackburn Rovers v West Bromwich Albion. In 1898. West Ham v Manchester United – in 1912. (Update: now removed from the site. This is a great shame, as…

Norm flags up Glenn McGrath’s comments about Monty Panesar’s sessions with sports psychologist Steve Bull, which are intended to help Panesar cope with barracking from Aussie crowds: “If he`s seeing a psychologist already, then I think it`s a bit premature and a bit ridiculous. “When we go to England, we cop a hard time, we…

They used to say that in Newcastle, long ago. These days, we’d be shouting into an American knee clinic. It was a pub discussion, of course – (The Polar Bear in Hampstead if you must know) – and the subject: is it time for a middle class takeover of English football? Well, it was in…

Herbert Chapman (d. 1934): In an idle moment I set down this team of old players to amuse myself in comparing them with the chief players of today. ‘Sam Hardy, Bob Crompton, Jesse Pennington, Ben Warren, Charlie Roberts, Ernest Needham, Jockie Simpson, Steve Bloomer, Albert Shepherd, George Holley, Fred Spiksley. ‘It goes a long way…

In comments, I referred to Dr. Ken Bray’s book, How To Score: Science and the Beautiful Game. Warmly recommended – even the relatively weak chapter on psychology, which at least gets beyond the English obsession with “motivation” and “inspiration”, and gives you a good idea of what it was Erickson was trying to achieve and…

Congratulations to Scotland, who are developing into a team capable of rising above themselves. Tommy Burns payed tribute to Bertie Vogts’ role in the building of the team Walter Smith is achieving some success with, and I think that’s fair – it’s Vogts’ youngsters who, with more experience alongside them, are doing all the good…

I must confess that my first reaction was anger. Quite justified anger. After all, everyone had got what they wanted, hadn’t they? An English manager who understood the importance of passion and commitment – Terry Venables back on board – an old-fashioned vocal captain in John Terry – Beckham dropped – Gerrard and Lampard no…

This, from a Daily Telegraph interview with Gary Neville: Whether Bill Beswick, the sports psychologist Steve McClaren has taken from Middlesbrough to the FA, can bridge the often tiny gap that divides international success and failure is a question Neville is happy to ponder. It might be expected that someone who abhors cant would steer…

It’s curious reading the BBC website’s headline of “England with no injury worries”: that may be so, but it’s certainly not an England without injuries. Owen’s absence until next season is extremely frustrating – when fit, he can reasonably lay claim to being the best pure attacking player in the world, and not just because…