Neil Reynolds finds out more about the Baggies' visionary chairman
Distinguishing Features Fiftyish, with dark hair and a light moustache which gives the impression that one or other is false; they’re not.
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Stories
A summer of unprecedented World Cup hype has done nothing to slow down the football juggernaut. We invited three critics, Simon Inglis, Alyson Rudd and John Williams, to ruminate on the shape of things to come
The onset of the football boom in Britain is usually dated from the 1990 World Cup. Two tournaments on from there it still appears to be racing ahead at ever greater speed. Are there any indications that the boom is nearing its end?
We asked for your views about the 1998 World Cup and Roger Titford sifted through the responses to find out, among other things, who you blamed for that famous defeat to Argentina
Younger readers may not believe this but many years ago, before the widespread use of radios,TVs and mobile phones inside football grounds, there was another way of getting all the half-times. A bloke walked the ground in the second half selling the evening newspaper which had the half-time scores printed, somewhat haphazardly, in the Stop Press. You found out your other team were 0-2 down and, generally, threw the paper away.
Dear WSC
Reading your letters page over recent months has led me to the conclusion that many of your correspondents are obsessive on subjects that are essentially trivial. I feel strongly that this valuable space should be reserved for people with something to say. Incidentally, I feel I should point out that in your article on World Cup nicknames (WSC No 137) you refer to Bam Bam as Fred Flintstone’s son, when he was in fact Barney Rubble’s son.
Alastair Walker, Farnsfield
The conflicting emotions experienced by those who followed the England team around France are described by Mark Perryman & Tom Davies
During this world Cup tattoos and beer bellies have been made to symbolize all that is supposedly wrong with England abroad.