MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SHOOT – 19.8.1989

It’s the kick-off of the 1989-1990 season, and Shoot’s famous League Ladders poster, which came free with this edition, is the cover image.

The magazine opens with Bryan Robson’s column, where is confident that Manchester United can win the title, and believes his side are ready to show their credentials against reigning champions Arsenal on the opening day of the season.

He also touches on the World Cup in Italy, coming up at the end of the season, predicting that it will be won by a European team and that England aren’t far off.

Shoot itself gets a feature. The reason for the trumpet blowing? Shoot had just celebrated it’s 20th anniversary.

Real Madrid have signed a young player, but in tragic circumstances, symbolically signing one year old Sergio Cunningham, after the death of his dad, former Real Madrid player Lawrie Cunningham.

Terry Butcher showed off his drumming skills in Stirling recently for the band Tonto. Shoot describes Butcher as a self confessed head banger who lists Iron Maiden as his favourite band.

Theo Snelders tells Shoot of his determination to get back into the Holland squad after being controversially dropped after the manager said he was too scared to play against Germany.

John Fashanu has just joined Shoot and uses his debut column to put an end to rumours that he wants to leave Wimbledon.

In posters, you can get one of new Everton signing Norman Whiteside, while Gazza advertises Brooks boots.

Graham Roberts uses his column to reveal the reason why he left Rangers to join Chelsea – a dressing room falling out with manager Graeme Souness.

In news, The Football League is negotiating for the use of Wembley Stadium for the Play-Off Finals.

John Robertson tells Shoot that he is glad to have rejoined Hearts from Newcastle United, believing it will be a boost to his chances of going to the World Cup if Scotland qualify.

Shoot isn’t the only one celebrating a milestone birthday, Match of the Day turns 25 and gets a full page feature.

Jimmy Greaves predicts how he things the league table will look in 1990, predicting Liverpool to take the title back from Arsenal, with Charlton, Luton and Southampton getting relegated.

Jan Molby gets a full page interview, telling Shoot he is desperate to become a regular starter for Liverpool again, and win back his place in Denmark’s squad.

Kevin Gallacher gets a double page profile, where he reveals Deacon Blue are one of his favourite bands, and met Ricky Ross at a concert for Paul Sturrock’s testimonial, and that Ross was more nervoud of meeting Dundee united players than they were of meeting him.

There is a full page feature on Gerry Francis, who is remaining loyal to Bristol Rovers despite financial troubles at the club, but warns they won’t have any success in the future unless they get a new stadium, with the club playing at Twerton Park in Bath.

Ray Wilkins has just rejoined Rangers, and has hit back at suggestions that English players who join the Ibrox club (Wilkins was the 13th to do so under Graeme Souness) are jeopardising their international career.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SHOOT – 22.3.1980

It’s the first Cup Final of the 1980s, as Wolves take on Nottingham Forest in the League Cup Final, and Shoot commemorates this by having Emlyn Hughes and John Robertson on the cover.

The match gets six pages, with Emlyn Hughes and John McGovern discussing the effect of their respective managers. It is a cup final which sees Nottingham Forest aiming to win the trophy for the 3rd successive season.

In Scotland, Derek Johnstone uses his column to welcome Ian Redford to Ibrox, having signed from Dundee for a Scottish record of £210,000.

Terry Venables uses his column to express his delight at George Best’s return to football with Hibernian, and wishes Alan Ball good luck in his role as Player/Manager at Blackpool.

Talking of Hibs, there is a feature on Peter Cormack, as he returns to the club where he started his career, after leaving for Nottingham Forest in the early 1970s.

Martin Thomas of Bristol Rovers gets a profile, as he is described as Wales next goalkeeper.

Norwich City are the subject of a Club Spotlight, and readers got a free poster.

There is a feature called Soccer’s Wasted Talent, looking at the players who are sitting on the bench for their club, such as Duncan McKenzie, Peter Barnes and Tony Currie.

Chris Hughton talks to Shoot about being happy at Spurs, and Steve Coppell issues a warning to Liverpool that Manchester United will fight until the very end for the title.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SHOOT – 19.10.1991

Bryan Robson, in action against Notts County, is the cover star, with the headline “Robbo’s Back”, as he is interviewed in this edition.

As you open the magazine, there is a double page feature on Wales European Championship Qualifier in Germany, where Wales need a draw to virtually qualify for the finals in Sweden.

Jimmy Greaves assesses the two teams and predicts a win for Germany, and so it proved, with Germany winning 4-1.

Bryan Robson’s interview is part of Shoot’s preview of England’s European Championship Qualifier against Turkey. Turkey had been good opponents for Robson, with 5 goals in his 3 previous appearances against them.

England’s previous game against Turkey saw Robson left out of the squad, and he thought his international career was over at the age of 34, but his recent form for Manchester United saw him earn a recall.

As it turned out, the game against Turkey was Robson’s last cap for England.

Another player making an England comeback was Stuart Pearce, who explains that he was left out of the squad for the recent friendly against Germany as he was serving a domestic suspension.

Elsewhere in the group, Republic Of Ireland face a crunch game in Poland, and Shoot interviews Mick McCarthy in preparation of this.

In news, Charlie Nicholas had all his medals stolen after a burglary at his house, while Celtic have had a bid rejected for Terry Phelan, while Chelsea are planning a move to sign Matt Le Tissier.

Also in Scotland, John Robertson of Hearts gets a double page interview where he says that Hearts are determined to bounce back after defeat against Celtic, their first of the season. Robertson also gives Shoot the lowdown on his Hearts team-mates.

Peter Ndlovu of Coventry City gets interviewed s he adjusts to life in England, telling Shoot that he mostly listens to the radio and watched TV.

Also adjusting to life in a new country is David Platt, who tells Shoot he is enjoying life in Italy, despite Bari not winning a game and their manager resigning.

Talking of English players in Italy, former AC Milan striker Mark Hately rubbishes former Bari striker Paul Rideout’s claim that no English striker has come back from Italy a better player.

I wonder did they discuss the matter a few months later in the dressing room when Rideout signed for Rangers?

Talking of Rangers, a reader writes to Jimmy Greaves to say that Rangers will continue to be minnows on a European stage due to a lack of competition in Scotland, while another reader asks about the possibility of Leeds winning the league, and Greaves says they need Lee Chapman to start scoring in order for that to happen.

In competitions, you could win a pair of Quaser boots, and get to meet Gary Lineker, Matt Le Tisser or Charlie Nicholas at one of their respective team’s home games.

Tony Cottee gets a profile, revealing that if he wasn’t a footballer, he would be a Fireman, or work for his dad as an Insurance Broker.

In ads, there was an advert for a teen mag called Look-In (possibly an IPC publication, I can’t verify) which had Rik Mayall as it’s cover star, talking about his role in Drop Dead Fred.

Alongside that, is an advert for the following week’s edition of Shoot, which comes with free Pro Set cards.

The magazine ends with a double page feature on Scotland’s European Championship Qualifier in Bucharest where a win would virtually guarantee qualification to the finals.

They lost, but other results went their way which meant they made it to Sweden.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SHOOT – 9.11.1985

Bryan Robson is the cover star of this week’s edition of Shoot, as he aims to lead Manchester United to their first title in 19 years.

As you open the magazine, there is a double page feature on the decline of Ipswich Town, who have gone from title challengers to fighting against relegation, with stars deserting over the previous three years since Bobby Robson left to become England manager.

In news, Frank McAvennie suggests that John Robertson and/or Gordon Durie could be the next Scottish strikers to move to an English club. One player not moving from Scotland to England is Richard Gough, after Dundee United rejected a bid from Aston Villa to sign him.

Norman Whiteside won Young Player Of The Month, while Manchester United offered new contracts to Arthur Albiston and Remi Moses.

Meanwhile, Trevor Francis hits back at Malcolm MacDonald, who criticised his continued selection for the England team.

Shoot’s editorial pleads for English fans to behave whenever they are abroad, after England had been allowed to enter the qualifiers for Euro 88.

Gary Lineker gets a double page photo story of his recent hat-trick against Turkey, the 34th hat-trick by and England player since World War II.

Another young player doing well is Alan Dickens, who is hoping to break free from the shadows of Trevor Brooking.

You wouldn’t have seen any of Lineker or Dickens goals due to a TV blackout caused by a dispute between the governing body and boradcasters, so Shoot does a double page photo collage of the best goals in that time.

Mickey Thomas hits back at his critics, having just signed for West Brom, and hoping to keep them in Division One.

Argentina’s preparations for the World Cup in Mexico have been rocked by a dispute between manager Carlos Bilardo and players Daniel Passarella and Ubaldo Filol, after Bilardo declared the only player guaranteed a place in the squad was Diego Maradona.

Terry Venables criticises Andoni Goicochea of Athletic Bilbao, after his playacting got a Barcelona player sent-off in a recent game between the sides.

Meanwhile, Michael Laudrup urges his club Juventus to sign his 16 year old brother Brian, who he describes as being better than him.

Aberdeen manager Alex Ferguson, hoping to lead the club to a 3rd successive title, states that any team wanting to win the title can’t afford to lose more than four games.

Celtic won the league with six defeats that season with Aberdeen finishing 4th, with Ferguson leaving Aberdeen soon afterwards.

Meanwhile, Watford defender Nigel Callaghan concedes he won’t be going to the World Cup, but wants to be an England player beyond 1986.

Shoot interviews a player from each division to see what life as a footballer is really like, with Frank Lampard of 4th division Southend revealing that the club are considering flying to their away match at Wrexham.

In Scotland, 21 year old Andy Goram has caused a sensation by getting his first international call-up and keeping a clean sheet in the friendly against East Germany, as he provides competition for regular choice Jim Leighton.

Based in the North-West of England, Goram was contacted by Arthur Albiston of Manchester United to offer him a lift to the squad.

Talking of Scottish footballers, Charlie Nicholas uses his column to state that he won’t be signing for Liverpool.

Staying in Scotland, St Mirren get a full page profile.

Jimmy Greaves Star Letter came from Jeremy Butler from Southampton, who complains that teams like Canada devalues the World Cup, but Jimmy disagrees with him.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SHOOT – 22.9.1979

Nottingham Forest winger John Robertson, pictured holding the European Cup, is the cover star accompanied by the headline “CAN FOREST RETAIN THE EUROPEAN CUP?”, as Europe’s three competitions are getting ready to swing into action.

The biggest threat to Forest’s grip on the trophy, in Robertson’s opinion, came from Liverpool, who he said he hope would get put out early, but admitted the two teams playing in the final would be great for English football.

As it turned out, Liverpool had an early exit, a First Round exit to Soviet team Dinamo Tblisi, while Forest would go on and retain the trophy, beating Hamburg 1-0 in Madrid.

Turning over the page, Shoot does a full page feature on the chances of the British sides in their ties, against a various mix of opponents.

In news, Alan Ball Snr (father of 1966 World Cup winner of the same name) is singing the praises of Scandinavian players as representing value for English clubs, having just spent three years coaching in Sweden.

Colin Bell of Manchester City announced his retirement aged 33.

Lawrie McMenemy expressed his fears of a “Super League” emerging within England’s top flight, due to the spending power of some clubs.

Brian Quinn moved from Larne to Everton for £60,000 – a record between clubs from Northern Ireland and England, and is aiming to be the 10th Everton player to play for Northern Ireland since World War II, just short of the 14 players supplied by joint record holders Manchester United and Linfield.

Alex Sabella turned down a move from Sheffield United …….. because his wife wasn’t keen on living in the North-East.

Motherwell manager Ally MacLeod is to be investigated by the SFA after publishing a book claiming that Willie Johnston wasn’t the only Scotland player to have taken illegal substances at the previous summer’s World Cup.

In his column, Ray Clemence is looking forward to his first trip to the Soviet Union, for Liverpool’s European Cup tie with Dinamo Tblisi.

Shoot does a full page feature on the West Country, interviewing a player from Plymouth Argyle, Exeter City and Torquay United on the future of football in the area.

Dave Watson, recently signed for Werder Bremen, was sent off in his second game for the club, and bemoans the strictness of German referees, while also dismissing criticism of his signing by German newspaper Bild.

Andy Gray hits back after being booed by Aston Villa fans after requesting a transfer, and was upset by Villa holding out for £1m, stating no player is worth that amount (though Trevor Francis was earlier that year)

Later that month, Gray signed for Wolves for £1.5m

There was a four page feature on Manchester City, including a double page colour poster.

Tommy Docherty is in fighting form, proclaiming “I’m still one of the best”, and that he is happy with his summer spending having spent £1m on five players, including England Under 21 goalkeeper Chris Woods.

Docherty had been sacked by Manchester United two years previously due to an extramarital affair, and was hoping his spell at Loftus Road would propel him back into the big time.

QPR finished 5th in Division Two (no play-offs then, only the top 3 went up) and Docherty was sacked, before being reinstated, than sacked again in October 1980.

“Life has never been happier at the aptly named Gay Meadow” writes Shoot, presumably in The Flintstones sense, as manager Graham Turner has just led them into England’s second tier for the first time.

Shoot gives a page to Ian Redford, a star at Dundee described as “The new Alan Gilzean”

Redford joined Rangers in 1980 for a Scottish record, won four trophies at Ibrox, and played for Dundee United in the 1987 UEFA Cup Final. Redford died in January 2014, aged 53.

Gordon McQueen uses his column to claim that he scored United’s goal against Southampton on the opening day of the season, which was credited as an own goal, and denies rumours that Mickey Thomas was to be sold to Everton in an exchange for Dave Thomas.

On the back page, there was a colour poster of new Crystal Palace signings Gerry Francis and Mike Flanagan.