When Saturday Comes | The half decent football magazine

Lost causes

Football charities and voluntary organisations are struggling to survive in the face of austerity, writes Alex Lawson

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations estimates that by 2016 the voluntary sector will lose £911 million in public funding. The age of austerity is already having a major effect on grassroots football. The UK’s sporting charities are remarkably fragmented – the likes of the Football Foundation and Football Aid represent the larger organisations in a pyramid featuring professional clubs’ charitable arms, corporate philanthropic projects, small-scale grassroots organisations and long-standing local government initiatives.

Sunday, April 1st, 2012 - The Archive

Black and white world

It is important to consider the position of black Liverpool fans in the aftermath of the Luis Suarez race row, writes Janice Allen-Brade

I am a football fan, I have lived in Liverpool for 14 years and I am black. The controversy over the racist abuse case between Luis Suárez and Patrice Evra has made me rethink my feelings towards the city and Liverpool supporters. But that is nothing compared to the dilemmas faced by Liverpool’s black fans. In all the debate about this issue their perspective has been overlooked.

Thursday, March 1st, 2012 - The Archive

Official complaints

Brian Simpson reports on the growing problem of violence against referees in amateur football

The odds against newspapers as diverse as the Oldham Evening Chronicle, Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung and the Buckinghamshire Examiner reporting similar local football stories over the same few days are pretty slim. Yet that is what happened in mid-October, when all three covered attacks on referees in amateur and lower-league football.

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011 - The Archive

Champagne supernova

A man with new ideas and a “clean” reputation could have a major football future, writes Steve Menary

On October 21, FIFA president Sepp Blatter unveiled a series of plans to combat the seemingly endemic problem of corruption in international football. Blatter proposed to reopen an investigation into the collapse of former marketing partner ISL, raising the possibility that senior FIFA figures could be shown to have taken bribes. Last year, FIFA paid CHF 5.5 million (£3.9m) to settle the case, but Blatter has now said: “We will give this file to an independent organisation outside of FIFA so they can delve into this file and extract its conclusions and present them to us.”

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011 - The Archive

Calling a truce

An unlikely agreement in South Yorkshire may benefit both Sheffield clubs, reports Tom Hocking

As the Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday players run out at Bramall Lane this month the rivalry in the stands will be as volatile as ever. United’s directors and executives, however, will be welcoming some familiar faces from across the city, having spent their summers locked in negotiations.

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011 - The Archive

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Lost causes

Football charities and voluntary organisations are struggling to survive in the face of austerity, writes Alex Lawson

Black and white world

It is important to consider the position of black Liverpool fans in the aftermath of the Luis Suarez race row, writes Janice Allen-Brade

Official complaints

Brian Simpson reports on the growing problem of violence against referees in amateur football

Champagne supernova

A man with new ideas and a “clean” reputation could have a major football future, writes Steve Menary

Calling a truce

An unlikely agreement in South Yorkshire may benefit both Sheffield clubs, reports Tom Hocking