MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : MANCHESTER UNITED – NOVEMBER 1999

David Beckham is the cover star of Manchester United’s official magazine as the Winter of 1999 has arrived.

Talking of Beckham, the magazine reveals, exclusively, that David Beckham will be crowned European Football Of The Year this year.

With United due to play Palmieras in the World Club Cup, Nobby Stiles looks back at his experiences of playing in it for United, a two legged home and away competition in them days.

Cover star Beckham gets a three page interview.

United have made three new signings since the last magazine – Mikael Silvestre, Massimo Taibi and Quinton Fortune, and they are all profiled in a nine page special pull-out.

There is a look back at recent matches, where United made progress in their European Cup group, but dropped points domestically and fell off the top of the League, while there is also a look at the TV highlights amongst the programming on MUTV.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : MANCHESTER UNITED – JUNE 1998

New United signing Jaap Stam is the cover star of the club’s official magazine, billed as “Europe’s finest defender”

In news, it was the circle of (football) life as Brian McClair is leaving the club, while Wes Brown made his debut.

Looking to the future, there is an advert for the new United kit, modelled by David Beckham.

Alex Ferguson gets five pages as he reviews the season just passed, saying that failure will make United stronger.

Jaap Stam is the subject of a five page interview, where he reveals he supported United growing up, and turned down the opportunity to sign for Liverpool and Newcastle.

David Beckham gets only four pages as he is interviewed to coincide with the release of his autobiography.

Brian McClair signs off with his final diary, while there is a review of radios for those who enjoy listening to the radio at matches.

Future United manager Louis Van Gaal gets a feature in the European round-up, described as the toast of Catalunya following Barcelona’s title win.

Towards the end of the magazine, United’s final games of the 1997/1998 season get reviewed, a season that United finished 2nd.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : MANCHESTER UNITED – OCTOBER 1998

“NEW YORKE” is the headline of this cover, but it’s nothing to do with America, it’s new Manchester United signing Dwight Yorke, who is also the cover star.

The early pages of the magazine is dominated by players staying at United – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saying he wants to stay and fight for his place, and David Beckham signing a contract to stay with United until 2003.

Around this time, Paul Hayward was a columnist in the magazine, and he uses his column to comment on the number of clubs who are quick to sack their manager.

One United player with a keen interest in the European Cup group stage draw was Jordi Cruyff, who will be facing former club Barcelona.

United are a club who are constantly linked with players, with Andy Mitten writing a full page on the wonderful world of transfer rumours.

Dwight Yorke gets a five page feature, with an Aston Villa fanzine editor contributing his analysis of the player.

There is a look at United’s upcoming European Cup group games, with Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Brondby getting a full page preview each.

Eric Cantona gets three pages as he makes his final appearance at Old Trafford in a friendly to commemorate forty years since the Munich Air Disaster.

Jaap Stam debuts as a columnist for the magazine, expressing his surprise that Patrick Kluivert didn’t sign for United.

If you’re going to a game at Old Trafford, there is a review of pubs in the city for you.

There are reviews of United’s early season games, while the magazine ends with a quiz between Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt, with Giggs winning by 5 to 4.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : MANCHESTER UNITED – MAY 1999

Paul Scholes is the cover star of Manchester Untied’s official magazine as the 1998-1999 season nears it’s end, a season finale that would be mixed for Scholes.

In news, there is a film about George Best’s life in production, due for release in 2000.

Elsewhere, David Beckham has become a dad for the first time, with odds already being offered on a range of life events including playing for United or having a number 1 single.

Cover star Paul Scholes gets a five page interviews where he discusses his recent hat-trick for England against Poland and declares that he never wants to leave United.

There is a look at player’s digs and the landladies who have housed young United stars in the past and present.

United manager Alex Ferguson uses his column to deny that he has any immediate plans to retire, even if United win the European Cup, as he celebrates 25 years in football management.

Henning Berg gets a four page interview ahead of the title run-in, stating that he hopes his former club Blackburn avoid relegation.

There is a look back at United’s games in March and a preview of May’s games. Just the five games, but that could increase depending on cup results in April, as yet unknown at time of going to press.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : FOOTBALL EUROPE – JANUARY 1998

David Beckham is the cover star of Football Europe at the start of a World Cup year.

The editorial looks forward to the year ahead, predicting that an English club would win a European trophy, a prediction that would come true when Chelsea win the European Cup Winners Cup.

Diego Simeone, captain of Argentina, gets a three page interview as the gets ready for the Summer’s World Cup.

Talking of the World Cup, that gets a six page profile, with the draw for the finals having just been made.

Another draw, for the Euro 2000 Qualifiers, is on the horizon, and UEFA have announced that England would be a top seed.

Dynamo Kiev get a three page profile, described as a “dark horse” for the European Cup having beaten Barcelona home and away in the group stages.

Looking back at that group stages, there is a three page review of the group stages.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : MANCHESTER UNITED – JANUARY 1999

David Beckham is the cover star of Manchester United’s official magazine at the start of a year that would be memorable for both player and club.

The big news this month is that Peter Schmeichel has announced he will be leaving United at the end of the season, and won’t change his mind. There is also a look at possible replacements, a list of four which includes Edwin Van Der Sar, Fabian Barthez, Mark Bosnich and Richard Wright, all of whom would end up in Manchester at some point in their career.

Nicky Butt gets a four page profile after a frustrating 1998 which saw him lose his place for both club and country.

There is a look behind the current trend of Masters Football, where stars of yesteryear renew old rivalries.

Jaap Stam has taken over diary duties from Brian McClair since his move to Motherwell, and puts Edwin Van Der Sar’s name forward as a possible replacement for Peter Schmeichel.

Cover star Beckham gets a five page interview.

There is also a look back at matches in November 1998, a busy month which saw United play five times at Old Trafford.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : FOOTBALL ITALIA – OCTOBER 1997

Alessandro Del Piero and David Beckham are the cover stars of Football Italia, as Italy face in England in a match that will determine automatic qualification for the 1998 World Cup.

In news, Aldair has been given Italian citizenship, meaning that Roma can now play and extra non EU player.

There is a review of the Supercoppa Italia Final where Juventus beat Vicenza 3-0.

Italian sides in Europe get reviewed with Juventus winning their opening group match in the European Cup while Parma could only draw theirs. Vicenza (European Cup Winners Cup), Inter Milan and Lazio (UEFA Cup) had first leg leads while Udinese trailed Widzew Lodz 1-0 from the first leg of their UEFA Cup tie.

The match between Italy and England gets a twenty-four page preview, focusing on the battle between the two managers, and the two young stars – Del Piero and Beckham.

There is also a guide for any England fans who are visiting Rome for the match.

There is also a profile of the four newly promoted sides to Serie A – Brescia, Empoli, Bari and Lecce.

The opening two weeks of the Serie A season (the season started in late August) get reviewed, with Fiorentina and Inter Milan being the only two teams to win their opening two games.

The magazine ends with an advert for the next month’s edition, which will review the World Cup Qualifier between Italy and England.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : WORLD SOCCER – AUGUST 2003

Ronaldinho is the cover star of World Soccer with the headline “THE TWO RONNIES”, not a reference to him doing a sketch show with Ronaldo, but the differing on and off-field life he leads.

The recent transfer of David Beckham from Manchester United to Real Madrid gets four pages of coverage, and what it will mean for player and club.

Summer transfers are the main topic in this magazine, with Italian clubs shopping in the bargain basements.

Manchester United are armed with cash after the sale of Beckham and are linked with either Damien Duff or Harry Kewell, as well as Eric Djemba-Djemba and Tim Howard.

In Germany, Bayern Munich are eyeing up moves for Roy Makaay and Martin Demichellis.

There is a Q and A with Deco of UEFA Cup winners Porto, who considers Portugal his home now having played there for six years, and got a call-up to the national team despite being born in Brazil.

At Napoli, there is an interesting name at their youth team, Diego Maradona Jnr, the estranged son of the Napoli legend.

There is a double page feature on cover star Ronaldinho, then of Paris Saint Germain, but set to be a Manchester United player in a matter of time according to World Soccer.

The monthly Soccer Cities feature does a region instead, The Ruhr in Germany, home of Schalke and Borussia Dortmund.

There is a six page review of the recent Confederations Cup, a tournament marred by the tragic death of Marc Vivien Foe, a tournament which was described by Keir Radnedge as cheap and demeaning before Foe’s death.

There is a full page report on Real Madrid winning La Liga thanks to a win over Athletic Bilbao, a result which ironically helped Barcelona to sneak into the UEFA Cup.

In England, Michael Owen became the youngest player to win 50 caps, while Northern Ireland got a creditable draw against Spain, but it meant they continued a scoreless run of 972 minutes.

Porto added a domestic double to their UEFA Cup, but he local council chairman wouldn’t meet the team as he supports Boavista. There was more good news for Porto as manger Jose Mourinho committed his future to the club until 2006.

Staying with Porto, there is a profile of Helder Postiga, who has just left Porto for Tottenham Hotspur.

In South America, there is a profile of Boca Juniors striker Carlos Tevez, who has attracted the attention of Barcelona and Bayern Munich, but a clue to his future destination could come in the shape of him describing his post treasured possession as a Manchester United shirt given to him by David Beckham after a friendly between United and Boca the previous summer.

In Africa, Nigeria reach the finals of the African Nations Cup, while there is a profile of Aruna Dindane.

The magazine ends with Brian Glanville’s column, which states that David Beckham deserved better from Manchester United than the manner of his departure to Real Madrid.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : FOOTBALL EUROPE – NOVEMBER 1998

David Beckham is the cover star of Football Europe as 1998 nears it’s end, but the 1998/1999 season is already in full swing.

As you open the magazine, there is a double page review of how Euro 2000 Qualifying has gone so far. Most teams have played three games, and the picture as to who will go to Holland and Belgium is anything but clear.

Headliners getting profiled include Artur Jorge, who is returning to manage PSG, and Mark Bosnich, likely to leave Aston Villa, but to Roma, who were put off by some of his behaviour on the pitch. He ended up signing for Manchester Untied in the summer of 1999.

Jose Antonio Camacho is the new manager of Spain, and Football Europe looks at the first battle he must win, against the Spanish media.

Someone else who has the media on his back is Alessandro Del Piero, after a poor run of form, and he gets a double page profile.

There is six pages of coverage profiling the group stages of the European Cup so far.

That final would be played in Barcelona, having just been announced by UEFA.

UEFA were also in the news as they tried to avoid a European Super League by getting rid of the European Cup Winners Cup and expanding the group stages of the European Cup to 32 teams.

There is a look at the season so far in Germany, and the question is asked if anyone can stop Bayern Munich.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : MATCH – 13.10.2001

Having scored the goal that took England to the World Cup Finals, David Beckham is the cover star of Match, which reviews England’s successful qualifying campaign.

The man who made Beckham captain, Peter Taylor, is the main story on the contents page, having just been sacked by Leicester City, a year after being Caretaker Manager of England.

There is a full page interview with the Co-Creator of Championship Manager, Paul Collyer, following the release of Championship Manager 01/02.

There are four pages dedicated to England’s World Cup qualifying campaign, a match by match guide, as well as looking at the dramatic departure of Kevin Keegan as manager, and the appointment of Sven Goran-Eriksson.

There is a “Where Are They Now?” of Leeds United’s 1992 title winning team. The Leeds team of 2001-2002 were hoping to emulate them, sitting top of the Premier League. This magazine had a four page interview with goalkeeper Nigel Martyn.

Players described as “Hot” get a feature, such as Andy Oakes of Derby, Peter Crouch of Portsmouth and Darius Henderson of Reading.

George Burley, manager of Ipswich Town gets an interview, where he says the vacant Scotland job doesn’t appeal to him.

In ads, you could buy Michael Owen’s own brand breakfast cereal.