Dear WSC
The revival of Lok Leipzig as detailed in your Germany supplement (WSC 231) is not quite the heart-warming story it might appear to be. FC United have been asked to play Lok in a friendly soon, but they are having reservations about doing so. The main problem centres on the fact that Lok’s support contains a significant fascist element. This is sadly not a new development in the region – extreme right politics have long been seen as a form of rebellion by disaffected youth in the former East Germany. However, there is little sign that the club themselves recognise this as a problem. The fact that Lok’s owner, now a successful businessman, was once the leader of the club’s hooligan fringe (albeit not a neo-Nazi) does not encourage hopes that steps will be taken to discourage the boneheads. As I understand it, the consensus in Manchester is that FC United will play in Leipzig but only if they are able to use the occasion to draw attention to grassroots anti-fascist campaigns in the former DDR. Whether this will be acceptable to the Lok leadership remains to be seen.
Tony Barraclough, via email
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Stories
We covered the Three Kings on December 3 but for the 14th day of the WSC advent calendar we’re looking at their home – the Orient. Leyton Orient, obviously. After going nowhere but down since 1989, Martin Ling’s unsung east Londoners battled the yo-yoing Mariners with promotion or the agony of the play-offs at stake in June 2006, issue 232. Tom Davies reported
They don’t do triumphalism very well in this part of London. And going into an Easter Monday six-pointer in third place in League Two, with automatic promotion still in their own hands, takes most Leyton Orient fans into completely uncharted territory. This is a club that have not won promotion since 1989 – when a late play-off charge took the Os out of Division Four – and have not gone up automatically since 1970’s Third Division title. Grimsby, a point and a place below Orient, have been up two divisions and back again in that 17-year period. Other teams yomp up and down the divisions with drunken cavalier abandon. But Orient fans look on wistfully as nothing much changes in their landscape. “It was so much easier when we were coming 17th every year,” grumbles one fan in the bustling Birkbeck pub beforehand. He’s joking of course. Well, perhaps half-joking.
After promotion back to the Football League, Ashley Shaw finds renewed optimism in a corner of the north-west
Few small clubs can match the fame of Accrington Stanley. Synonymous with a lost era, Stanley’s premature and unnecessary exit from the Football League in 1962 lent the club a certain romance, especially as, only a few years before, they had been riding high, attracting gates of more than 10,000 to Peel Park.
Saturday 1 “I think it is asking Chelsea a question,” says Sir Alex as Man Utd close to within seven points with a 2‑1 win at Bolton after the leaders are held 0‑0 at Birmingham (“The objective is to chase the game for 90 minutes and we didn’t,” says José). Spurs’ lead in fourth place is cut to two points by their loss 3‑1 at Newcastle while Arsenal thrash Villa 5‑0 with two-goal Thierry Henry starring again. “All I can say is that I want him to stay,” says Arsène, referring to Barcelona’s interest. Portsmouth’s 3‑1 win at Fulham – “We are hitting form like we did this time a year ago,” says Harry – takes them level with West Brom, who suffer a sixth defeat in seven games, 2‑0 to Liverpool. With Watford losing at Palace last night and Leeds going down 1‑0 at Hull, Sheffield United go seven points clear in the Championship’s runner‑up spot with a 1‑1 draw at Stoke. In League One, a 1‑0 defeat of Barnsley takes Huddersfield level with second-placed Brentford, who draw 1‑1 at Colchester. Forest are just five points off the play-offs after a fifth win in seven post‑Megson matches, 3‑1 at Chesterfield. Long‑time League Two leaders Wycombe are now four points outside a promotion spot following a 3‑1 home defeat by Bristol Rovers. Rushden move off the foot through a 1‑0 victory over Torquay, who are now bottom. Gretna become the first third-level club to reach the Scottish Cup final, with a 3‑0 win against Dundee.
For once a millionaire and a football club do seem to be a perfect match, as the Scottish League’s most southerly side continue their remarkable rise. Harry Pearson reports
Some things stay embedded in the national consciousness long after history has moved on. “Eloping, are you?” the man says when I ask for a day return to Gretna Green. Though illicit marriages went out decades ago, Gretna’s reputation as the destination of choice for runaway lovers is as strong as it was during the days of Carry On films and The Two Ronnies. The famous blacksmith’s shop is still there, of course. It’s across the M6 from Gretna football ground. These days, though, more people go to Gretna for the designer outlet village than to tie the knot.