Search: ' Sheffield Wednesday'

Tom Locke recalls scenes from the life of the second most fearsome terrace in Newcastle

A friend of mine tells a good story about the Leazes End at St James’ Park. It was the infamous 1974 FA Cup tie against Nott­ingham Forest, and the score was 3-3. Bobby Moncur scored to put Newcastle improbably ahead, and the crowd, as they say, went wild. My mate was duly leaping around with the best of them when his right foot landed on something a bit sharp. It was a set of dentures. The old fellow next to him gro­velled about on the terracing to retrieve them. They had, of course, been expell­ed in the frenzied delight immediately following the goal. The man dusted his falsies off and popped them back in. They were going in all directions, but he seem­ed pretty unperturbed.

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To mark WSC's 150th issue, we invited three critics with different links to the magazine's past to reflect on changes in fan culture since 1986

WSC The term “fan culture”, which barely existed when the magazine started in 1986, has now become commonplace. But it seems as though there is actually less of a unifying fan culture now than there was then. Are there things that still bring people together, from Premiership to the Third Division, as we assumed there were when we started? 

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Tuesday 1 Joe Kinnear is to step down as Wimbledon manager, apparently because he wants to work at a bigger club. "I believe he will go like hot cakes," says Sam Hammam. He will be replaced by former Norway coach Egil Olsen. Sam again: "His way is the Wimbledon way. He is also the complete master both tactically and technically." Someone's been watching re-runs of Kung Fu.

Wednesday 2 Having missed out on Edwin van der Sar and Fabien Barthez, Man Utd finally sign Mark Bosnich, who seems to have turned into a character from a Barbara Cartland book: "I could have gone abroad and lived like a king, but I followed my heart." Ireland's Euro 2000 match with Yugoslavia is unlikely to go ahead after the Irish government withdraw entry visas for the Yugoslav squad. "The decision was taken by a government. We are not in a position to condone or condemn it," says an FAI spokesman. Dundee Utd supporters group United For Change are backing an attempt by a local businessman to buy out Jim McLean's controlling stake in the club. Steve Parkin resigns as manager of Mansfield.

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I would doubt strongly whether any Premiership player was contractually permitted to be described as “underrated”. Ken Gall

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Dear WSC
Allow me to be one of the first begrud­gers in the queue. For some reason Manchester United are being des­­cribed as being a member of European football’s “elite”. United fans should realise that their team has just gone from winning the European Cup as many times as Aston Villa, to winning the European Cup as many times as Nottingham Forest. “Elite” my arse.
Brian Hughes, via email

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