MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : MATCH – 25.12.1982

It’s Christmas 1982 and Match celebrates with a cover image of a sketch of various football stars such as Gordon Strachan, Graeme Souness, Steve Coppell and Paul Mariner.

There’s not much Christmas cheer for the FA, as they come in for criticism for arranging a full top flight fixture list just four days before a European Championship Qualifier.

A series of top flight stars are asked for their Christmas wishes, with Lou Macari wish he could spend Christmas Day with either Russ Abbot or Benny Hill.

Graeme Souness uses his column to state that Scotland haven’t given up on qualifying for Euro 84 despite a poor start which means they have to win the remainder of their games to have a chance of qualifying.

John Gregory of QPR is this “Focus On …” subject, claiming that The Jam, Robert Palmer and Japan is his favourite music.

Moving from Scotland to England, as Graham Rix uses his column to state that he has a battle for his England place after missing out on the recent 9-0 win over Luxembourg.

David Cross has only one wish for Christmas, three points from Manchester City’s visit to Anfield, something that City managed the previous season when they won 3-1 at Anfield.

As well as sketching the front cover, Steve McGarry can be found again near the end of the magazine sketching Murdo MacLeod’s winner for Celtic against Rangers in the recent Scottish League Cup Final.

The magazine can’t end without another rant about the scheduling of England’s match against Luxembourg, this time Tony Morley of Aston Villa who had to miss the game as he was playing for Villa in the World Club Cup Final in Japan the weekend before.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : MATCH – 26.5.1984

Kevin Richardson and John Bailey are the cover stars of Match, which reviews the FA Cup Final, won by Everton by 2-0 against Watford.

Winning the FA Cup wasn’t enough for Everton captain Kevin Ratcliffe, who wanted this to be the springboard for a league title triumph.

In Scotland, Dumbarton have been promoted to the top flight for the first time, with star striker Kenny Ashwood confident his side can shock a lot of people.

One player leaving Scotland is Gordon Strachan, having left Aberdeen for Manchester United, and United striker Frank Stapleton uses his column to predict that Strachan will be an instant hit at Old Trafford.

Match’s preview of Euro 84 continues with Spain this week’s profiled team.

Ian Wallace has left Nottingham Forest for French side Brest, claiming Forest couldn’t afford to keep him.,

After an absence of 14 years, Sheffield Wednesday are back in the top flight, and midfielder Gary Shelton warning First Division sides not to underestimate them.

There is a double page picture special on York City, who won Division Four with more than 100 points.

England face Scotland at Hampden Park in the British Championship, and this match gets a full page profile.

Northern Ireland are also in action, heading to Finland in their first 1986 World Cup Qualifier.

The magazine ends with a poster of Costica Stefanescu of Romania ahead of the build-up to Euro 84.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : MATCH – 4.12.1982

Liam Brady of Sampdoria is the cover star of this editon of Match as he reveals that he wants to sign for Manchester United, but not until the summer of 1984 when his contract with Sampdoria expires. Ron Atkinson didn’t take him up on the offer.

Spanish football wasn’t all Tiki Taka in 1982 with players who have faced Spanish sides recently and even players playing in Spain complaining that the quality of play is poor due to the volume of fouls.

Meanwhile, Gordon Cowans of Aston Villa says he is back in form and ready to battle for a place in the England team.

One man who isn’t getting in the England team is Glenn Hoddle, who uses his column to bemoan his bad luck with injuries recently.

It’s the Scottish League Cup Final this weekend, and Match interviews Danny McGrain and John McClelland ahead of the game.

Arnold Muhren’s recent winner for Manchester United against Tottenham Hotspur gets the Steve McGarry treatment with a full page sketch.

Gordon Strachan of Aberdeen previews the Scottish League Cup Final in his column, predicting that Charlie Nicholas of Celtic will have a big say in the outcome.

Paul Mariner uses his column to plead with Alan Brazil to stay at Ipswich Town after the striker handed a transfer request.

The magazine ends with a profile of Mike Hazard of Tottenham, who reveals his biggest TV turn-off is the news.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : MATCH – 19.5.1984

It’s the FA Cup Final, as Everton and Watford take centre stage on this week’s copy of Match.

There is fighting talk from both teams. Peter Reid states that there is no way Watford will score against Neville Southall, while Mo Johnston is determined to win the cup for suspended captain Wilf Rostrun, and let him lead out the team at Wembley in the following season’s Charity Shield.

Chelsea get a double page feature, having just been promoted to the top flight of English football after an absence of five years.

In foreign news, Juventus have been rocked by the news that Claudio Gentile might be leaving the club in the summer.

Staying in Italy, Luther Blissett of AC Milan tells Match how delighted he is to have been recalled to the England squad.

In preparation of that summer’s European Championship, Match is previewing the teams, with Romania, written down as “Rumania” being this week’s subject.

Graeme Souness uses his column to preview the FA Cup Final, declaring that he can’t see Everton losing.

Andy Gray and George Reilly are profiled, with Gray revealing his favourite singer is Rod Stewart, and that his personal ambition is to have an uneventful private life.

George Reilly’s favourite pop star is Bryan Ferry.

Mark Hughes gets profiled, having broken into Manchester United’s first team this season, revealing that he thought he would have to leave United in order to advance his career.

A team-mate of Hughes in the future will be Gordon Strachan, who is set to join United from Aberdeen, with his last game for the club being the Scottish Cup Final against Celtic, a game Aberdeen will lose according to Hibs goalkeeper Alan Rough, previewing the game for Match.

It had been suggested that Aberdeen manager Alex Ferguson has been mellowing, but he told Match that his wife had told him to behave himself.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SHOOT – 16.8.1986

With a new national team manager appointed and the league season due to Start, the cover of this edition of Shoot doesn’t just focus on Scotland, but a Welshman bound for Italy – Ian Rush, who has just signed for Juventus.

As you open the magazine, there is a double page feature from Shoot columnist Bryan Robson, with his hopes for Manchester United in 1986-1987, with him expecting Gordon Strachan, one of Scotland’s stars at the World Cup, to continue his return to form.

Strachan’s future international caps would be coming under the recently appointed Andy Roxburgh, an internal appointment having been Director of Coaching, beat off competition from Jim McLean and Billy McNeill for the role, with the man who appointed him, SFA President David Will, describing him as “knowing more than Alex Ferguson”

Shoot’s editorial focuses on Billy Bingham preparing to agree to become manager of Saudi Arabian club Al Nasser while managing Northern Ireland as well, and that he could struggle taking on the two roles at the same time.

In news, Jesper Olsen is set to leave Manchester United, with PSV Eidnhoven his most likely destination, while across Manchester, City manager Billy McNeill wasn’t too unhappy at missing out on the Scotland job, as he and his family were settled in the North-West of England.

One Scotsman who could be on the move was Paul Sturrock of Dundee United, with Aberdeen manager Alex Ferguson looking to sign him

Northern Ireland’s champions Linfield are celebrating their centenary with a friendly against Brazilian side Flamengo, with Zico and Socrates both guaranteed to be playing.

Meanwhile, England’s top flight clubs have examined the practicalities of a breakaway Super League, with representatives running up an expense bill of £32,000

It’s a new era in Scotland with the top flight now comprising of 12 clubs, and Rangers have a new manager in Graeme Souness, beginning the season away to Hibs.

There was a double page spread with the fixture lists for England’s top four divisions.

One player determined for make a good start in that new season was Graham Roberts, who wasn’t selected for the World Cup, blaming himself for that, but he did get to face England’s nemesis Diego Maradona, as he had played in Ossie Ardiles Testimonial in May.

With players such as Warren Aspinall and Mike Newell joining top flight clubs, Wigan Athletic get a feature, looking at their reputation as a breeding ground for tomorrow’s stars.

A current star is Ian Rush, who has signed for Juventus, but will play for Liverpool for a season before heading to Turin in 1987. In the feature, Shoot looks at the fortunes of players who have previously moved between British clubs and Italian clubs.

In letters, one person wants Bryan Robson replaced in the England team by Steve Hodge, one person hates Denmark’s kit and a Scottish reader is unsure that Andy Roxburgh should have got the job as national team manager.

With Wimbledon about to begin their first season in top flight football 9 years after being elected to the Football League, with Shoot looking at what challenges face clubs looking to enter the Football League, as 1986-1987 was the first season to have promotion and relegation to and from the 4th Division.

Beside it, Shoot has a feature on World Cup stars moving outside their native countries to head to Mainland Europe on their back of their World Cup performances.

Also on the move was Alan Mullery, who had returned to Brighton for a second spell as manager, and gets a full page feature.

Someone who was on the move for the first time was Paul Power, who signed for Everton after 11 years at Manchester City.

The PFA have set up a working group amongst clubs in the North-West of England to try and make football more family friendly.

In adverts, Puma have brought out a new Kenny Dalglish branded boot.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SHOOT – 8.9.1984

Glenn Hoddle is the main cover star of Shoot, alongside a British player abroad, Graeme Souness, and a British player with aspirations of playing abroad, Luther Blissett.

As you open the magazine, there is a double page feature on Gordon Cowans, who has ambitions of going to Mexico. Not to play in the Mexican League, but the 1986 World Cup. His feature had the headline “Memo to Bobby Robson, save a World Cup place for Gordon Cowans”

He didn’t go to Mexico.

Having just rejoined Watford for AC Milan, Luther Blissett has stated that he wants to play abroad again. Before Watford fans paniced, he clarified that it was European competition for the Vicarage Road side that he was wanting to play abroad.

Staying with Watford, manager Graham Taylor had put a £2m fee on Maurice Johnston, who has handed in a transfer request.

In Scotland, Hibs and George Best were in trouble with the SFA after Best played for Hibs in Jackie McNamara’s Testimonial, but was unregistered.

Craig Johnston had missed the start of the season for Liverpool in order to be with his wife and soon to born child, his wife having insisted that the child be born in Australia.

Manchester United’s three new signings Jesper Olsen, Gordon Strachan and Alan Brazil are part of a centre page poster, as United look to win the league for the first time since 1967.

As you turn the page, there is a double page feature on Strachan, where he reveals he supports Hibs, and turned down the chance to sign for United in 1971, having already given his word to Dundee.

Staying in Scotland, new Rangers signing Cammy Fraser was introduced to life at Ibrox by manager Jock Wallace ordering to shave off his moustache.

Peter Shreeves, new manager of Tottenham Hotspur, gets a double page spread, insisting he isn’t afraid of the challenge of succeeding Keith Burkinshaw.

Shoot uses star signs to try and predict the future for footballers such as Neville Southall, Kenny Sansom, Glenn Hoddle and Andy Gray.

QPR get a full page feature, with Ian Stewart giving the lowdown on the club.

In news, Mark McGhee begins his career at Hamburg with a suspension, having been sent-off in a pre-season friendly.

Jimmy Greaves received a letter in support of a Great Britain football team. Greaves replies that he agrees with the idea, but that football shouldn’t be in the Olympics.

The highlight of this edition comes in the form of a double page photo of Trevor Francis and Graeme Souness enjoying their new life in Italy, at Sampdoria, out on a boat trip together, all oiled up and dressed in nothing but Speedos. It is an image that cannot be unseen.

Wilf Rostron of Watford tells Shoot who his favourite wingers are : Pat Nevin, John Barnes and Mark Chamberlain.

Ian Rush uses his column to declare that England can be successful by learning from Liverpool, and that Graeme Souness is better than Michel Platini, and will show it in Serie A.

Beside Rush’s column, is a full page report on the recent Charity Shield, where Everton beat Liverpool 2-0, with the headline “Revenge!”, after Liverpool had beaten Everton in the previous season’s League Cup Final.

Bryan Robson uses his column to praise attackers that have recently been on the move – Joe Jordan of Southampton and the Spurs duo of Clive Allen and John Chiedozie.

Charlie Nicholas is prominent towards the end of this issue, telling Shoot he is happy at Arsenal, then appearing in an advert for Nike alongside Glenn Hoddle and Ian Rush.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SHOOT MEXICO 86 SPECIAL

At this moment 30 years ago, Italy and Bulgaria players were walking onto the pitch at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City for the opening game of Mexico 86.

The game was broadcast live on the BBC. As people sat in front of their TVs awaiting the month of football to come, it’s possible they may have been reading Shoot’s 1986 World Cup Preview guide, costing 75p.

With three UK teams in the finals (something that wouldn’t happen again until Euro 2016), Shoot capitalised on this by having a player from Scotland (Gordon Strachan), England (Bryan Robson) and Northern Ireland (Norman Whiteside) all holding the World Cup trophy.

All three were playing for the same club in 1986, so it was obviously convenient for them to arrange the photoshoot.

As you open the magazine, there is a double page editorial saying “Go get em lads”, wishing the three UK teams good luck.

There is then a double page TV guide, but it only covers the opening match, and the home nations group games. For the record, Northern Ireland and Scotland had two live games on ITV and one on the BBC, while England had two games on the BBC and one on ITV.

Trevor Francis gets four pages to write about who he thinks will be the stars in Mexico, predicting big things from Hugo Sanchez, Rudi Voeller, Preben Elkjaer, Diego Maradona, Michel Platini, Rinat Dasaev, Zico and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Enzo Scifo, Daniel Passarella, Antonio Cabrini, Zibi Boniek and Michael Laudrup.

Quite a lot of those players were based in Serie A, where Francis was playing his club football.

Mick Channon gets two pages to assess the three home nations, predicting Bryan Robson to lead England to the Quarter-Finals (They would reach that stage, but Robson would be at home injured), Scotland to reach the Second Round (Group stage exit) and Northern Ireland to reach the knockout stages (group stage exit)

Channon also commented that he was recently in Belfast to play in a testimonial game for George Dunlop.

Mal Donaghy gets a lot of praise from Channon, stating he would walk into England and Scotland’s teams, comparing him to Bobby Moore.

For the whole tournament, he expected Argentina to beat Brazil in the final.

Tony Roche gets a double page spread to assess the rest of the European teams, stating that Denmark could take the competition by storm, comparing them to Holland’s team of the 70s.

There is a full page round up of the results and tables from the European groups.

Peter Reid gets interviewed with the headline “ON YER BIKE JOAN COLLINS”. In case you’re wondering why, England will be warming up in America, staying in a hotel in Denver which is used to film scenes for the TV show Dynasty.

Reid comments on the progress in his career between World Cups, having just avoided relegation to the Third Division with Bolton in 1982, he was now challenging for trophies with Everton.

Shoot canvassed journalists from around the world for their opinion, and the consensus was that Brazil would repeat their success in Mexico they had in 1970.

Bobby Moore writes about his experiences at the 1970 World Cup, advising the players that playing Snooker will be a good way to relieve the boredom in the hotel room.

Charlie Nicholas gets four pages to write about his Scotland team-mates, where he reveals he shares a room with Steve Nicol. They are good mates, but Nicholas doesn’t share Nicol’s love of Status Quo.

There is a double page interview with the three UK managers, Bobby Robson (England), Alex Ferguson (Scotland) and Billy Bingham (Northern Ireland)

Ferguson and Robson predict Brazil will win the trophy, while Bingham shies away from predicting a winner.

Bryan Robson writes a two page article where he predicts England will reach the Semi-Finals, and that Gary Lineker will be England’s biggest star in Mexico, comparing him to Jimmy Greaves.

There are two pages then dedicated to the South American challenge, written by Tony Roche.

Shoot has bagged an interview with Diego Maradona, who says England look good, Northern Ireland have a chance of reaching the knock-out stage, while Scotland are in the toughest group. He didn’t predict Morocco to upset anyone.

The main question asked in Northern Ireland’s preview is where the goals will come from. Billy Bingham has a lot of praise for Norman Whiteside, predicting him to be a regular Northern Ireland player for the next decade.

Jimmy Greaves has two pages of letters, where a Notts County fan predicts Algeria to win because of Rachid Harkouk, to which Greaves sarcastically responds.

There is a full page dedicate to free-kick experts, listing the best players with this skill, including Platini, Hoddle, Cooper and Molby.

As well as looking forward, Shoot also looks back at England, Scotland and Northern Ireland’s World Cup history.

There are two pages dedicated to Jock Stein, who was Scotland manager during the qualifying campaign until his death after the game against Wales in September 1985, with tributes from Alex Ferguson and Billy McNeill.

There is a competition where you can win a Sinclair ZX Spectrum and Ray Clemence World Cup video game.

The preview ends with an infographic of all the team’s kits.

JAMES – LIVE AT PRINCES STREET GARDENS, EDINBURGH 26.8.2015 (MAGNERS SUMMER NIGHTS)

James made a return to Scotland after last November’s controversial concert in Glasgow, by performing a gig at Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh as part of Magners Summer Nights, a music festival taking place in two cities, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Their last gig in Scotland, in Glasgow in November 2014, saw the leader of the Scottish Conservatives erupt in anger and uproar as they didn’t play Sit Down.

It gets funnier, as when I saw them in Glasgow in 2013, they did play Sit Down.

As the crowd waited for James to appear on stage, Gordon Strachan could be spotted loitering at the side of the stage.

It wouldn’t have been that surprising. Gordon Strachan is from Edinburgh and is a good friend of Tim Booth, meeting the Leeds supporting singer in the Player’s Lounge at Elland Road when Strachan played there.

If Scotland qualify for Euro 2016, don’t be surprised if James do their official song.

The support band, Little Eye, from Glasgow, were very good.

Tim Booth introduced the band as they arrived on stage, thanking fans for coming to see them “in amongst all this culture”

There are two things which are certain at a James gig, Tim dancing very badly, and Tim jumping into the crowd. We got both of those inside the first two songs.

Tim commented that he got anally probed at that Glasgow gig when he jumped into the crowd, before Jim pointing out that Edinburgh was more civilised.

Tim also told of how the Glasgow crowd were so busy trying to get photos of and with him, he was almost dropped by people using one hand to carry him when he needed two.

While singing Johnny Yen, Booth dedicated to some members of the “27 Club”, singing “God bless you Amy Winehouse, God bless you Kurt Cobain, God bless you Jimi Hendrix”

Booth reminisced about how Morrissey and Johnnny Marr (James toured with The Smiths during their early days) told him it should be their next single. He ignored them.

There was one fan who was enjoying it so much, she invaded the stage, before being removed from security.

Eventually, the band invited their favourite dancers from the crowd to join them onstage for their final song. Gordon Strachan sadly, wasn’t joining them onstage for a dance.

All the biggies were played – Sit Down, She’s A Star, Laid, Just Like Fred Astaire. It’s unknown if Ruth Davidson was there to hear Sit Down.

The only downside was, it felt like a NEDs Day Out, with pissed-up Neddies trying to storm their way to the front and getting involved in or starting fights.

It appears it was worse in other parts of the venue than where I was.

For the encore, they played Moving On and Come Home, and then it was time to go home, as fireworks blasted out from the Edinburgh Tattoo nearby.

James had kicked-off the Edinburgh leg of Summer Nights, leaving a high standard for Flaming Lips and Waterboys to follow.

Photo Album

See Also

James Live At Sheffield Academy 2010

James Live At Sheffield Academy 2010 Photo Album

James Live At SECC 2013

James Live At SECC 2013 Photo Album

James Live At Custom House Square 2013

James Live At Custom House Square 2013 Photo Album

James Live At Killruddery 2014

James Live At Killruddery 2014 Photo Album

THE EDINBURGH CELEB SPOTTING BLOG 2015

Celeb Spotting is as big a part of going to the Edinburgh Festival as going to actual shows. Every year, you’re guaranteed to see somebody remotely famous there.

This year was no different, although I had to wait a while. I arrived on the Saturday morning, and didn’t see a celeb until the Monday night.

Monday 24th August

Gyles Brandreth – Walking towards Potterrow
Al Murray – Walking towards Assembley at Potterrow*
Jimeoin – Walking along Forrest Road.

Tuesday 25th August

Al Murray – Hailing a cab on Princes Street**

Wednesday 26th August

Matt Forde – Talking to flyerers at Pleasance
Gordon Strachan – Loitering backstage at the James concert at Princes Street Gardens

* Al Murray has made so many appearances on this blog, it’s as much a certainty of being in Edinburgh as it raining.

** I’m not stalking Al Murray.

Celeb Spotting 2014

Celeb Spotting 2013

Celeb Spotting 2012

Celeb Spotting 2011

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : MATCH – 22.12.1984

It’s Christmas 1984, and Match gets in the festive mood, with a cartoon of Bryan Robson as Santa, and Kerry Dixon, Glenn Hoddle, Ian Rush and Mark Hateley as choirboys with their uniforms in their respective club kits, while Mo Johnston is a schoolboy meeting Santa.

A double page feature asks a series of stars what their ideal Christmas would be. John O’Neill of Leicester City’s ideal Christmas is Midnight Mass, take delivery of BMW 635, take Felicity Kendall out for a spin, then head to Switzerland for a holiday. Steve McMahon also wanted to be on holiday in Switzerland.

John Barnes would like a holiday to Jamaica for Christmas, while Kevin Ratcliffe wants a Snooker table.

One person who has want they want for Christmas is Trevor Francis. Based in Italy with Sampdoria, he was planning to take advantage of Italy’s mid season break to go back to England over the holiday period, and wanting to watch a Division One game on Boxing Day.

Peter Brackley, commentator with ITV’s ‘The Big Match’ is interviewed where he reveals he supports Brighton, and that former Albion player Mark Lawrenson is “The most complete player in the country”

He also won a talent competition at Butlins when he was younger for doing impersonations.

Match gives a double page spread to a recent FA Cup 2nd Round tie between Bristol City and Bristol Rovers, which Rovers won 3-1, in front of a crowd of 20,000 – more than double any FA Cup crowd that day.

In the middle of the magazine, you could get a centre page poster of Gordon Strachan.

Clive Allen gets a Q and A. Kenny Dalglish is his favourite Football League player, while Michel Platini is his favourite foriegn player, and includes David O’Leary and Mark Lawrenson in his British XI. He also dislikes smoking and bad drivers.

Ever wondered who Clive Allen’s favourite pop star is? Christopher Cross.

In League tables, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Arsenal were seperated at the top of Division One by two points. Liverpool were 8th, 9 points off the top.

Brian McClair of Celtic got a poster, his reward for being Nike’s man of the month. Interestingly, 1984-1985 was the first season and English club wore Nike. Sunderland, since you ask.

The foreign news feature reports that Giorgio Chinaglia is planning a comeback at the age of 38, while Steve Archibald is in goalscoring for for Barcelona, and Fortuna Dusseldorf have asked their players to take a wage cut.