MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : 90 MINUTES – 24.2.1996

Dennis Wise and Dan Petrescu are the cover stars of this week’s edition of 90 Minutes, which has declared Chelsea as the season’s surprise package.

In news, Manchester United have taken Mark Fish on trial. United have also signed a new kit deal with Umbro worth £40m – £65m.

Leeds United have been ordered bu UEFA to upgrade their dressing rooms for Euro 96, at a cost of £500,000.

There is a three page spread on Chelsea, with 90 minutes describing it as their finest team since the 70s.

Clyde are facing Rangers in the Scottish Cup, and 90 Minutes has an interview with Clyde’s ageing Celtic legend Charlie Nicholas.

Also getting a feature is Blackpool, after it is claimed that their stadium is being haunted by the ghost of Admiral Nelson.

In competitions, you could spend a night with Paul Merson.

As Euro 96 approaches, there is a full page profile on the French team, so good, that David Ginola and Eric Cantona can’t get a game.

90 Minutes Live canvasses supporters at Coventry City v Manchester City for the worst refereeing decision they have ever seen.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : WHEN SATURDAY COMES – JULY 2012

England are at the European Championship, with Ashley Young on the cover of When Saturday Comes confidently predicting that England will do better than they did at Euro 2008.

He has good reason for his optimism, as England failed to reach Euro 2008.

There is a review of the recent Scottish Cup Final, where Hearts beat Hibs 5-1, including a feature on 102 year old Hibs fan Sam Martinez, who says he hopes to see Hibs win the Scottish Cup before he dies, with their drought now at 111 years.

In Northern Ireland, Linfield won their sixth double in seven years, to some apathy from fans, with one fan arguing that history will be a lot kinder to David Jeffrey in the future than it is now.

To cover the full length of the UK, we then move to Wales, where Cardiff City fans are upset at an attempt to rebrand the club, including a change of colours by Vincent Tan.

At Aston Villa, there is an article on the future of manager Alex McLeish, whose time was believed to up when he celebrated a draw at home to Stoke.

Match Of The Month is the Championship Play-Off Final between Blackpool and West Ham, two clubs aiming to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

There is also review of the season in all three divisions of the Football League.

On the continent, Serbia’s Cup Final was held outside Belgrade and ended up in a riot, while Auxerre have been relegated from France’s top flight.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SHOOT – 27.5.1978

World Cup fever is in full swing as this week’s edition of Shoot comes with a free wallchart.

As you open the magazine, there is a double page spread of the marksmen leading the line for each team, with Kenny Dalglish being the player profiled for Scotland.

Ray Clemence uses his column to express his desire to play against Scotland – as it was his mistake in 1976 that won the game for Scotland the last time England played at Hampden Park.

With all the coverage of England and Scotland, Wales fans weren’t ignored, as their team got a full page poster.

The rise of Nottingham Forest from a hopeless second tier team under Brian Clough to league champions gets four pages, including a centre page poster.

A combination of big spending on transfers and ground improvements has seen season ticket prices at Manchester United for 1978-1979 would cost you a whopping £45.

Love was in the air for Blackpool’s Brian Wilson, who got engaged to Anne Nolan, of popular singing group The Nolan Sisters.

One of the teams he found face that summer would be Cliftonville, who had announced a short tour of England to face Blackpool and Southport.

Derek Dougan made a visit to his native Belfast to present Linfield’s Jimmy Martin with the Footballer Of The Year Award.

Though the World Cup is close, the qualifying for Euro 1980 was closer, as Republic Of Ireland are in Copenhagen for their opening qualifier. Shoot gives this a full page preview.

Shoot goes big on Scotland, with various adverts for World Cup related merchandise including the replica kit, and a special Shoot edition solely focusing on Scotland, previewing their games in Argentina.

STLFTEM ROUND-UP 2011

Seeing as it’s the end of the year, almost, I thought I’d keep you all up to date with my STLFTEM for 2011.

For those who don’t know, STLFTEM is basically Something To Look Forward To Every Month.

I started it in 2009, and it basically is to have something to go, see or do every month, and look forward to it.

The only rules are that it has to be something seen in person. Therefore, watching Euro 2012 on TV won’t count for June next year.

Also, I can have more than one STLFTEM each month. In fact, I can have as many as I wish.

January was a bit of a cheat, as I went to the Linfield v Glentoran match postponed from 26th December 2010. But, my lifestyle ethos, my rules.

February was a bumper month as I went to Barcelona for a weekend, and then the following Wednesday, I went to see Northern Ireland take on Scotland.

March was also a Northern Ireland match. A 0-0 draw v Slovenia. Yep, that was well worth the wait.

April was a bumper month with a title showdown for Linfield against Crusaders and three matches against Glentoran, one of which was an Irish Cup Semi-Final. Not only that, but there was also the matter of Beady Eye’s first concert in Belfast.

Four wins, and an excellent concert made it a worthwhile month.

May was all about travelling as I went to the UEFA Cup Final, and Manchester United’s last match of the season, against Blackpool.

June was quiet, but I did go and see 3OH!3

July was also quiet, but Linfield playing in Europe and a pre-season friendly against Derriaghy were enjoyable. As I stated earlier, some months are a struggle.

August was busy with the start of the new Irish League season and trips to Edinburgh and Brighton.

September was the Arthur’s Day concert at Ulster Hall (Any my ticket was free)

October was another concert at Ulster Hall, Noah and the Whale. There were fantastic.

I’d hoped that November would be going to the MTV EMAs. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a ticket, so I had to make do with a trip to Old Trafford to see United take on Sunderland.

December will be the Boxing Day match at The Oval. If that bites the dust because of the weather, I’ll make it the Ulster v Aironi match two weeks ago (Again, a free ticket)

Well, that is how i’ve managed to have STLFTEM throughout the year, but I’ve already got some lined up for 2012.

In January, I’m going to see Roy “Catchphrase” Walker as part of the Out To Lunch Festival.

February will be a busy month as I’ll be taking a break to Amsterdam from 3rd-6th, then going to see Noel Gallagher at The Odyssey on 16th, before flying to Manchester on 23rd.

I’m hoping to see United v Ajax. I’ve no ticket sorted as yet, but I’m confident I’ll get one.

Pretty tempted to go and see The Beat at The Limelight in March. Undecided as yet.

August of course, will see me head to Edinburgh for the Festival. If I could afford to, I’d spend the whole month there.

So that, is how I’ve managed to enjoy myself at least once a month this year and how I plan to do so next year.

If you have any suggestions for any of the months, feel free to get in touch and suggest.

2011 IN PICTURES – MAY

A month of travel, as I headed to the UEFA Cup Final in Dublin and went to Old Trafford to see United take on Blackpool.

Absolutely loved the experience of going to a European final, even though it was the ‘second competition’ and the match itself was poor.

I’d actually got good seats for the match, although the only incidents of note took place at the other end.

Unfortunately, my camera was on it’s last legs by then, and I got a new one, which made it’s debut during the Man United v Blackpool game.

Got an excellent seat for the game and some good photos.

Also managed to get some excellent sunset shots.

Enjoy

East Belfast Sunset

Four Winds Sunset

May 2011 Sunsets Photo Album

Linfield v Crusaders

Linfield v Crusaders Photo Album

Braga v FC Porto

Braga v FC Porto Photo Album

Schalke Stickers

Manchester United v Blackpool

Manchester United v Blackpool Photo Album

PHOTO DIARY OF A FOOTBALL SEASON : MAY

May, the month when trophies are handed out, and I got to see three, having seen the Gibson Cup presented on the last day of April.

The following Saturday, I was at the Irish Cup Final, and ignored the rain as Linfield came from a goal down to beat Crusaders.

The following week, I was in Dublin for my first European Final to see Porto take on Braga in the UEFA Cup Final, which I enjoyed being in the city of a European final and the atmosphere of the match, even if the actual game was very poor.

My final trophy presentation of the month came when I went to Old Trafford to see United’s last match of the season, against Blackpool, and made the most of my low seats to get photos as United were presented with a record breaking 19th title.

Whilst in Manchester and Dublin, I stumbled upon some ultras stickers, most notably from Schalke.

If you’ve enjoyed this season’s round-up, feel free to browse the photo round-up of the 2009-2010 season.

Here’s to more photos in 2011-2012.

Linfield v Crusaders

FC Porto v SC Braga

Manchester United v Blackpool

MANCHESTER UNITED 4-2 BLACKPOOL 22.5.2011

Was at Old Trafford on Sunday for United’s last league game of the season , against Blackpool, a game which of course, saw United lift the title for a record 19th time.

Gutted for Blackpool going down, I would have like them to stay up, but, they’re the opposition so there was no sentimentality from me, regardless of the league being won.

If anything, I’m more gutted about Wolves staying up than Blackpool going down as we’ll have to suffer another season of the performing chimps on the Match of the Day sofa fawning over how much of a “character” their golf buddy Mick McCarthy is.

An entertaining game which United won, and picked up the league on an (eventually) sunny day, so not a lot to complain about.

Managed to get a good seat and some half-decent photos, which was nice.

Enjoy.

Photo Album