Showing articles from the year 2012
Clear filterSunday’s match reminds us that England played Italy at the 1990 World Cup and, in many ways, it was England’s forgotten game. The third place play-off came only days after penalty heartache against West Germany. Shilton’s clanger didn’t exactly get England off to the best of starts and three of the tournament’s best players managed to get on the score sheet.
Last week we asked Empty seats: What’s the story? Why were there several clusters of empty seats at the France game? We promised to question UEFA and report back – and we’ve done just that.
Croatia’s impressive displays at this year’s Euros reminded us that, in years gone by, the Croats have had some fantastic teams. The Euro 96 vintage is remembered fondly by many fans with Davor Suker’s sublime chip against Peter Schmeichel one of the goals of the tournament.
Every week thousands upon thousands of fans stand in front of their seats during the game while singing their hearts out in support of the team they love. Attempts by the authorities to stamp down on this practice have failed and, if anything, the number of people standing is growing – that’s why the Football Supporters’ Federation’s Safe Standing Campaign is so important.
From Gazza’s dentists chair in 1996 to Trezeguet’s last minute winner against Italy in 2000, some of the Euros’ most famous moments are replicated in Lego via this rather excellent video from GLove Productions.
Back on the 1st April 2012, UEFA announced via their own website (no misquoting there, surely?) that “the demand for the various types of ticket available for UEFA EURO 2012 has exceeded supply for all matches of the final tournament”.
We look far and wide for our And finally… contenders, and this week’s search leads us to Japan with a notable double. Not only is this shot from Hiroshima’s Toshihiro Aoyama an absolute belter, they follow it up with an over the top 10-pin bowling celebration. A strike that made the goalkeeper go spare, you might say. Ahem. Good work, and hat-tip to The World of Sport for the spot.
A major tournament usually means an inevitably underwhelming and disappointing exit, often via a penalty shoot-out, but it doesn’t always have to be like this. Should the Three Lions progress from the Group Stage, there’s a good chance they’ll meet Spain. How better to get the patriotic blood-pumping with one of our favourite moments from Euro ’96 – Psycho’s penalty against the Spaniards.
Only one week later than promised the Football Supporters’ Federation’s Awards Panel has delivered the shortlists for our FSF Football Writers Awards 2012. Like troops returning from battle they have haunted looks in their beady eyes and tell tales of terror that the uninitiated could never truly comprehend. With almost 400 nominations, from more than 1000 fans, shortlisting was a Herculean task.
Forget any Stone Roses reunion, this year’s big music news has just broken – Chris Kamara is singing the official England song ‘Sing 4 England’. Released on Sunday 3rd June it’s all in aid of a good cause, Marie Curie Cancer Care.
The FSF has launched its Euro 2012 website for supporters travelling to this summer’s tournament. As well as all the latest news there’s blogs, directories, city guides, and other essential information. You can also get your hands on the FSF’s FREE 130-page England Fans’ Guide to Poland and Ukraine.
It’s been far too long since And Finally… featured a comedy own goal. This one from Brazil has all the classic ingredients to make it as familiar as your favourite pair of boxers. Off-balance, back-pedalling defender? Check. Ball pings across six yard box? Check. Defender shanks ball hopelessly into his own net? Check.
Last week’s Champions League final proved that German sides can lose penalty shoot outs and one of the most famous examples occurred in the 1976’s European Championship final. The game finished 2-2 and in the subsequent shoot out Czechoslovakia’s Antonin Panenka won the trophy with an astonishingly cool chip down the middle of the goal. "If it were patentable, I’d have it patented," joked Panenka.
Mohamed Ghaddar is a Lebanese footballer who plies his trade for Kelantan FA in the Malaysian Super League. If this clip’s anything to go by we don’t expect to see him in the Premier League any time soon. Eat your heart out Cristiano Ronaldo, this is touchline trickery at its best.
Due to the sheer volume of candidates – nearly 400 nominations from more than 1000 fans – the shortlists for the Football Writers Awards 2012 will not be announced until Friday 1st June. Apologies to those waiting with bated breath for the shortlists but in order to fairly consider all entries, the happy little helpers who make up the FSF’s awards panel need a few more days.
England play all three group games in Ukraine and won’t play in Gdańsk (Poland) even if they do progress. But that didn’t stop us being impressed by this rather excellent video of the PGE Arena in Gdańsk being constructed for Euro 2012. Days and seasons fly by in the blink of an eye.
The Met Police have asked the FSF to pass on information regarding the League One and League Two play-off finals. Pubs in the area of Wembley Stadium have been divided between specific sets of supporters – if you’re travelling to Wembley over the weekend, check the links below to avoid pub-based confusion.
The Met Police have asked the Football Supporters’ Federation to pass on the following information regarding the League One play-off final between Huddersfield Town and Sheffield United on Saturday 26th May 2012 (3pm KO). Licensed premises in the area of Wembley Stadium have been divided between supporters of both clubs as such:
The Met Police have asked the Football Supporters’ Federation to pass on the following information regarding the League Two play-off final between Cheltenham Town and Crewe Alexandra on Sunday 27th May 2012 (3pm KO). Licensed premises in the area of Wembley Stadium have been divided between supporters of both clubs as such:
It has to be said, this is one of the least glamorous celebrations you’ll ever see. The action’s in Lithuania where Kruoja’s Rostislav Dyakiv celebrates scoring a pretty flukey goal by stripping off and charging on to a building site adjacent to the pitch. Odd fella.
