More Than Mind Games

Brian Clough made his debut for Middlesbrough at what looks like a relatively late age. He was twenty when first picked, and it took him the best part of two seasons to establish himself as a regular selection. National Service and his own late physical development held him up. It meant that what Clough clearly…

The history of football is the history of great men. That’s still true, despite the efforts of the likes of Simon Kuper and Leo McKinstry. The majority of football books are concerned with the exceptional, the miraculous, and if they can’t find it in real life, then it will be invented and then embellished. Reality,…

There could be no better way to launch a summer of football management articles than this marvellous film of Brian Clough. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN3F19y8HMM] Clough’s complete happiness in that moment comes across, but also his intelligence. There was an intellectual force to Clough that is vanishingly rare in his profession, which shows well here:

You can now rate posts on this site (at least, I think you can: I don’t want to go about rating myself, so I haven’t actually tested it out personally). This is in addition to some of the other recent alterations, which have allowed you to be emailed with any new comments on an individual…

An old chestnut popped into my mind as I rode the wrong train home from the meet-up last night. I’d triumphantly chosen the only pub in London not showing the football as our venue, and, having missed that match (I can’t say that I did miss it all that much) began thinking around time travel…

Angouleme, France, summer 1877: (Click to enlarge) This isn’t the first colour photograph ever taken, but it’s among them. It’s taken by Louis Ducos du Hauron, a pioneer of both additive and subtractive methods of colour photography. Things don’t always happen in their what might seem to be the right order. 1877 was FA Cup…

From today’s Guardian: Meanwhile, Jostein NygÃ¥rd writes from Norway, who, he claims, are still sore about how they were eliminated from the 1938 World Cup. “Fresh from a bronze medal at the 1936 Olympics, we were drawn against the tournament favourites and holders, Italy,” moans Jostein. “They took an early lead as expected, but then…

We’ll be meeting for the Champions League Final in the Cardinal near Victoria Station between 6.30 and kickoff at 7.45. The match should be on big screens, all being well. You can see a map here. So that you know who to look for, here’s yours truly in football commentator mode: I’ve slightly more hair…

I’d like to thank Tiberius Gracchus of Westminster Wisdom for his permission to post this article, first published at Bits of News on 14th May. The Last Day in the Premiership The last day of the Premiership was awaited with anticipation. Most of the issues at the top of the table had been decided when…

I’d like to thank Tiberius Gracchus of Westminster Wisdom for his permission to post this article, first published at Bits of News on 29th April. The Story of Leeds United Yesterday was one of the darkest days in the history of one of England’s most famous and most successful football clubs. Leeds United were relegated…