When Saturday Comes | The half decent football magazine

Health check

Steve Menary assesses the debts of clubs in the English league and discusses whether the goverment should intervene into football politics

Since the turn of the year, a committee of MPs from across the political spectrum have been interviewing football administrators to work out whether the game’s governance is “fit for purpose”. The hearings are over, the committee’s recommendations are due in June and the case for reform is compelling.

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011 - The Archive

New broom?

A change in the Arsenal boardroom does not necessarily dictate a change in the club’s direction. Jon Spurling tells all

Last month, Stan Kroenke added Arsenal FC to his extensive portfolio of sports clubs. As usual, “Silent Stan” avoided saying anything of consequence to the media about the development, while in marked contrast to the noise surrounding the “Russian Revolution” at Chelsea in 2003, or John W Henry’s takeover at Liverpool earlier this year, the announcement that Kroenke had become majority shareholder at Arsenal warranted comparatively little media hype. Then again, Kroenke has been steadily increasing his percentage of shares at the club since 2007, while, in media terms, an American taking over a Premier League football club is relatively old hat. It is also the case that Kroenke, much like Villa owner Randy Lerner, has remained resolutely “hands-off” with his sporting investments, preferring to allow his executive and coaching teams to get on with their jobs.

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011 - Book reviews

Jobbing for José

After José Mourinho and his Real Madrid side received hefty criticism upon their Champions League elimination at the hands of Barcelona, just how special is “The Special one?”

It has been a great month for conspiracy theorists. The death of Osama bin Laden has offered more questions than answers, the timing of the AV vote so soon after the Royal Wedding was viewed by some as a cunning Conservative ploy and José Mourinho, football’s chief polemicist, has been ruminating and ranting about the injustices of the world.

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011 - The Archive

Mutual appreciation

Much has been written about the effects of the Sky revolution on football but, continuing our series of retrospective features, David Harrison looks at that particular relationship the other way round

What has football done for television? On the surface it has helped build a juggernaut of a business, through the introduction of subscription TV. We pay an annual subscription to receive BBC services, but Sky introduced the concept of discretionary take-up and delivered a service around ten million households can’t do without – at an average annual cost now exceeding £500. Of those, maybe two-thirds take Sky Sports.

Saturday, May 21st, 2011 - The Archive

Fallen saints

Thirty years ago this month Ipswich thrashed the best team in France. Csaba Abrahall looks back to a memorable UEFA Cup tie

Just the other week, I was listening to Arsenal’s come-from-behind victory against Barcelona at the Emirates. “Remarkable!” said Alan Green. Indeed it was but, as they’d done something very similar last year, somehow not extraordinary. This is how the Champions League has changed European club competition. The group format and perennial participation of the same teams renders a fixture such as Arsenal v Barcelona hardly less routine than Arsenal v Bolton. Notable performances by English clubs in Europe are therefore increasingly common, but so common as to be almost mundane.

Thursday, April 21st, 2011 - Book reviews

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Stories

Health check

Steve Menary assesses the debts of clubs in the English league and discusses whether the goverment should intervene into football politics

New broom?

A change in the Arsenal boardroom does not necessarily dictate a change in the club’s direction. Jon Spurling tells all

Jobbing for José

After José Mourinho and his Real Madrid side received hefty criticism upon their Champions League elimination at the hands of Barcelona, just how special is “The Special one?”

Mutual appreciation

Much has been written about the effects of the Sky revolution on football but, continuing our series of retrospective features, David Harrison looks at that particular relationship the other way round

Fallen saints

Thirty years ago this month Ipswich thrashed the best team in France. Csaba Abrahall looks back to a memorable UEFA Cup tie