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After much publicity, the Football Task Force released its final report. Roger Titford finds out if it will make any difference to English football and its fans

The final report from the Football Task Force appeared just before Christmas. If it were a match it would be a 0-0 stalemate and a sadly predictable one too. This was a big opportunity for fans and authorities to move closer together. In the event, each side issued sep­arate and contradictory reports on how the game should, or should not, be regulated and passed the buck to Kate Hoey, the sports min­ister, who now has the tough choice of being radical or practical.

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Dominic Smith attended England v Scotland and got a view of the two differing types of England fan

It’s been a few years since I watched a group of England fans – all replica shirts, union flags and Blackburn Rovers tattoos – follow a middle-aged woman down Wembley High Road, jeering and repeatedly calling her a “Paki”. Part of the dark old days which the FA and the media – all eagerly campaigning for the English 2006 World Cup bid – would have us believe are long gone.

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Mention Brazil and most people become emotional about Pelé, Garrincha, Romario and other legends.  Cris Freddi sees it differently

I hate Brazil. Not the country – I’ve never been to the country. But I hate Brazil. Like all fair-minded people, I am the Brazil hater.

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The Euro 2000 play-off draw has pitted the two oldest foes in Football against each other, but does anyone outside of Britain care?

“I would not be Kevin Keegan if I did not get excited about this,” said the England manager in a blinding flash of self-awareness on hearing the Euro 2000 play-off draw. Unfortunately, he is Kev­in Keegan, and his face was splashed all over the papers after England and Scotland came out of the hat together (or what passes for a hat at UEFA headquarters these days).

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Howard Borrell gives us a brief history of Chesterfield

1866 Chesterfield FC founded, making them the fourth oldest league club still in existence. They take their nickname from the town’s twisted church spire constructed from unseasoned timbers.

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