November issue available in shops and online
The new WSC is out now, in all good newsagents or available to order from the WSC shop.
– Greed in the football industry
– What more can the FA do?
– Youth coaching: girls against boys
– Scottish League v English League
– Arsenal fans divided by Wenger
– Ways to follow the match
Vulture culture Sam Allardyce and the FA
“Even by the standards of recent English football debacles, Sam Allardyce’s departure from his position as England manager was a spectacular embarrassment. He had the most important and prestigious role in our national game, and was being paid £3 million per year. Yet here he was in a pub discussing subverting his employer’s rules and earning extra cash for advice. It wasn’t illegal but it was greedy and out of touch.” Buy here to read the full article
Stoke City 1 West Bromwich Albion 1
A familiar face returns to the Potteries
“We can probably blame those betting adverts on TV. The ones that tell us we have to be ready when the bell rings, that we control the sport. These days that being ‘just’ a fan is not enough, we have to be part of the action. That is the kind of nonsense that leads to members of Stoke City’s leading fan site being invited to a Facebook ‘event’ this afternoon, at 3pm. ‘Stoke v West Brom, Come On Stokies, Raise The Roof!'” Buy here to read the full article
Divisions of labour Inter-League matches
“The desire to claim the title of ‘The best league in the world’ is not a modern phenomenon. Beginning in 1892, the Scottish League tested itself against its larger neighbours on an annual basis. Such is the fall in standards of the Scottish Premiership, it would struggle to claim it is even the best league in Scotland, with three out of the four finalists of the major cup competitions last season coming from the Championship.” Buy here to read the full article
Mixed forturnes Girls’ youth coaching
“It seemed a good idea at the time, and should prove to be so, but it is unlikely the Leicester City girls Under-12s goalkeeper felt that way when Lane Head boys Under-12s scored their 17th goal. The ‘idea’ was that elite girls’ development teams should play in boys’ leagues – a logical next step for an FA that, backed by risk-assessment research from Brunel University, has steadily raised to 18 the age at which mixed football is permitted.” Buy here to read the full article
Plus
Agents and the law in France
Joey Barton tells his story
UEFA set for a shake-up
Ernie Moss syndrome
Rotterdam’s other teams
Spurs at Wembley
Coventry’s foundations crumbling
Safe standing gains momentum
Millwall’s Den of despair
Communal Bath
Connah’s Quay Nomads photos
How coaching works in Spain
Focus on Eric Morcambe at Luton
Southport coast through life
The first-ever Third Division
Book reviews ~ Everton in the 1980s; Alan Curbishley’s unique insight; Albert Kidd breaks Hearts; another Fox trap
Availability
WSC is the only nationally available independent football magazine in the UK, and you can get it monthly for a very reasonable £3.50. You should be able to find a copy in your local newsagent, otherwise outlets that stock WSC include WH Smith, mainline train stations plus selected Tescos. If you’re having trouble finding the magazine, you could do one of the following:
1. Subscribe now and also get access to the complete digital archive
2. Buy the latest issue direct from WSC
3. Sign up for our digital edition and apps for iPhone, iPad and Android
4. orders@wsc.co.uk">Email us
5. Ask your local newsagent to order it for you
Photo by Paul Thompson, illustration by Adam Doughty